Destiny: Rise of the Scorn
by Sir Chewy
Summary: A group of Guardians, two Awoken Corsairs, and an Eliksni are tasked with capturing the leaders of a new faction of Undead Eliksni after the liberation of the Last City. Seja, John, and Heft re-unite and make new allies along the way to complete their tasks.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

SPIDER'S SAFEHOUSE

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

Oh-ho! This one's a… wait… what's that human word? A doozy? I don't know, I hate their language. Anyways, I just struck the greatest deal with my arch-nemesis ever. Except for the fact that I went from living in a palace, to a damn tiny room.

It all started when some Guardians arrived. That's right, the Guardians ruin everything don't they? These lightbearing wizards show up at my door and ask me for a Ghost shell. Of course they had to pay quite a bit since I have been 'collecting' for a long time.

Then, this is the weird part, undead Eliksni show up at my front door and kill my guards. You heard me right! _Undead Eliksni._ They ravaged the whole place, and now I'm stuck here.

So back to these Guardians, there are two Warlocks and there was a Titan. He's dead now. Oh, they also have a pretty cool Eliksni buddy. They also have a Servitor which can supply their friend with all the Ether he wants.

Oh, and there is also a huge battle going on just outside. A battle between those undead freaks and those Guardians. I should probably keep it down so they don't know I'm here.

For now, and probably forever; I'm stuck in this room, but oh man do I want to know what happens next!

* * *

This is a sequel to Fall of Light. If you have not read that yet, then please do that first.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

PRISON OF ELDERS

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

A Ceres Galliot carrying three Awoken corsairs weaved through the asteroids surrounding the Prison of Elders, several thousand kilometres away.

"Variks is going to meet us personally at the landing pad," said the leader, Seja.

Seja was a rogue lightbearer, giving up her Guardian ways to become an Awoken again. She had been a Hunter, and she still retains her abilities of the light. Unlike her fellow Corsairs, she has her own armour that incorporates Eliksni, Awoken, and Guardian designs, and she had a cloak again as well.

"I'll do the talking unless any of you two want to chip in," she continued, motioning to the other two Awoken, Ira and Shur.

As the ship neared the floating prison in space, Seja was able to see the landing pad. It extended from multiple platforms and bridges that were connected to the outer walls of the prison.

The prison itself was mostly a huge, tall, metal cylinder covered with lights, platforms, and small bulbous sections on the sides.

The ship slowed to halt above the landing pad as Variks stepped forward with his Eliksni guards. The three Awoken were transmatted from their ship, onto the landing pad.

"Prison of Elders welcomes you Awoken," Variks said, spreading his arms for a second.

"Hey Variks. You know what we're here for right?" Seja said, getting to the point.

"Yes yes," he said, holding his staff close, "here to see old friend of Crow yes?"

"Yes."

"Good. Right this way."

Variks turned with his guards and began to walk up the metal platforms. The Awoken followed him.

They entered a large hallway with a curved ceiling, and continued past Eliksni and Awoken working at stations. For all Seja knew this was the only prison in the system, so it had to be highly staffed.

After walking for a few minutes Variks turned at a round door, and opened it. Past the doorway was a train used for transporting staff. Variks stepped in the train and beckoned the Awoken forward.

After everyone sat down, Seja could feel the train move beneath her.

"Ever spoke to him?" Variks asked Seja, his four blue eyes staring into her two.

"No," she replied, "my old fireteam fought him before though."

"Hmm. Eliksni has gone mad yes? Had to keep him in special containment. Too useful to kill however."

"Who is this Eliksni?" asked Ira, who was sitting next to Seja.

"An Eliksni of no house," Variks responded, "a house that is fake is no house at all yes? Named after his supposed Kell."

"His name is Uldiks," Seja told Ira.

Outside the train, Seja heard the shrieking sound of metal sliding against more metal. She felt the train stop and everyone stood up. The group of Awoken and Eliksni stepped out onto a platform that extended from a wall in the train tunnel.

"One at a time," Variks said as he typed something in on a terminal next to the large door, "and do keep your helmet on yes? Breathing in Ether is dangerous for Awoken lungs."

Seja grabbed her helmet that hung from her belt and put it on her head, making sure it was tight. The helmet was silver with a slightly pink tint. It had six eyes that glowed a bright purple. Variks opened the door and she stepped into a small hallway. The door closed behind her and the air in the hallway pressurized.

Another door in front of her opened and gaseous Ether seeped into the hallway. Seja rested her hand on the handle of her hand cannon and walked into the Ether filled room. She couldn't see any of the walls, and she could just barely see the floor beneath her.

"No," a deep, rasping voice sounded from the other end of the room. It spoke in Eliksni, a language that Seja could understand.

Seja continued, waving the Ether away from in front of her. She could just make out a helmetless Captain. Its limbs were spread out and held in blue metal casings.

"Stop," it said again. Seja could not tell if she heard fear or anger in its voice.

She could now see the Captain's face. He didn't have a helmet on, but he had a gray mask covering his mouth.

"Please leave," it continued as she got closer.

"No," Seja said, speaking in its language to the best of her ability.

She saw the Captain relax a slight bit, but it was still shivering in its constraints.

"I am not here to hurt you," Seja continued, "I just want to talk."

"You say this but don't mean it."

"I mean what I say."

As Seja spoke she took her hand off the handle of her gun. She raised her hands in front of the large Eliksni to show she wasn't holding any weapons.

"I have nothing better to do," the Captain sighed, looking at the floor, "I am Uldiks, Archon of House Crows."

"House of Crows huh?" Seja replied, "you mean the fake house?"

"The House _was _real, but no longer. My Kell abandoned me and my barons. I am here, but I do not know what happened to my barons, my... siblings."

"They aren't here, so they're either dead or roaming the system seeking a new purpose."

"Hmmm. Everything else aside, what knowledge do you need from me? You came to me for a reason."

Seja wanted to get out of the Prison of Elders and breathe the fresh air of the Reef once more. She was glad he got to the point quickly.

"The Scorn," Seja said, "you roamed the shore when you were cast out. What did you see?"

"Darkness," Uldiks said, "flashes of dark and screams. I saw…"

After he trailed off anger filled his face.

"Uldren," he said, his voice full of hatred.

"Uldren?" Seja asked, shocked.

"His body surrounded by darkness, the Eliksni around him standing up from their deaths, shaking off their wounds as if they never happened. He has his own barons now, and does not need House Crows when he has the Scorn."

"Do you know who these barons are?"

"I know a few. Araskes and Pirrha. Araskes always liked games at Spider's palace. She won every time. And Pirrha was hired to kill me before. Only shot me once, but I was never able to return the favour."

Static sparked from Seja's communicator that rested on her belt.

"Are you going to spend all day in there?" Shur's voice rang over the static, "hurry it up."

"Just wait a minute," Seja said when she put her communicator up to her helmet, "I think I should get going soon, but I need to know one more thing."

"What?" Uldiks asked.

"Did you and Uldren have any sort of bases or anything?"

"We had three. Two ketches which one is now crashed, and a hut somewhere. Both in the High Plains in the Tangled Shore. The second ketch is somewhere on Earth. I do not know exactly where it is now however."

Seja nodded and waved to Uldiks, who gave no response. She turned and hastily walked out of the room, entering the airlock once more. After she was through the airlock she saw Variks, Ira, and Shur waiting for her.

"I believe we have enough," Seja said, "I'll tell you on the way out of here."

* * *

THIEVES LANDING

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

In front of Rian and John was chaos. Undead Eliksni fighting live Eliksni, and the live Eliksni that died got back up and fought with the undead ones.

A Wretch swung its staff past Rian and stabbed an undead Eliksni through the chest. John fired his slug rifle ten times into the heads of their enemies, not missing a single shot.

Rian fired a burst from her pulse rifle, each shot blowing dark Ether from the necks of the undead Eliksni. An enemy carrying a spiked club ran up to Rian and swung, hitting her in the side and spraying blood into the dark rocks beneath them.

Rian yelped and fell over. The Eliksni raised the club and attempted to slam it down on her neck, but she quickly reached up and grabbed its forearm. The Eliksni squealed in surprise and Rian dragged it onto the ground. She took the club from its hand and smashed it into the creature's neck.

Her Ghost used its power to heal Rian's bleeding side. She stood up and pulled her pulse rifle back into her hands.

Undead Eliksni were running up a small flight of stairs beside her, attacking a pair of Vandals. Rian grabbed one of them and twisted its neck. She took the club again and slammed it into the back of another, causing it to shriek and fall backwards.

The two Vandals fired their shock rifles rapidly, and burned the rest down. They nodded to Rian and ran off to another Vandal that carried a wire rifle.

From a hole in the side of the cave came a group of about four pikes, each being controlled by Dregs. A pike smashed into a group of undead Eliksni, causing them to fly apart.

One of the undead Eliksni carried a crossbow. It charged the bow and fired, cracking open the head of one of the pike riders. Rian ran up close to the crossbow carrying Eliksni and hurled the club into its arm. It yelped and dropped the bow, allowing Rian to shoot it in the head with her rifle.

Rian pushed the Dreg's corpse off the pike and climbed onto it. She used to drive these all the time in the old Russian Cosmodrome. She kicked the pike into gear and boosted it along a path, next to a hut.

Inside the hut was a squad of undead Eliksni, huddled in the middle. She charged the pike's weapons, which only took a second, and fired them. The pike's guns fired extremely fast, and the shock rounds ripped right through the creatures; even causing some to dissolve into pure arc energy.

Once the Eliksni in the hut were no more, she boosted the pike up to the rest of the Dregs.

* * *

John tripped an undead Eliksni in front of him, and crushed its head beneath his boot. Two ran up to him with clubs, but he fired his slug rifle into their heads before they could get close.

More founts of dark Ether formed outside the raised platforms that he was on, and more undead Eliksni ran up the stairs. Beside him was a Vandal and two Dregs, all armed with shock rifles.

The Vandal fired a burst from its shock rifle, and the bolts tracked their way to the undead Eliksni's heads. John turned to his left and shot one in the chest. Another fount of dark Ether formed beside the Vandal.

The dark Ether fount released three undead Eliksni, but these ones were different. They had no heads and had plates covering their necks. They were covered in chains and carried cauldrons full of flame.

One of these new enemies swung its flame cauldron and struck a Dreg, setting its rags on fire and killing it from the impact. John turned and shot it as it swung for the Vandal, causing it to miss. The Vandal dived to the side and John shot the cauldron, causing it to explode and pulverise the undead Eliksni.

John slung his slug rifle and pulled out his scout rifle. He fired the gun at the next opponent, hitting it in the chest. John shot the cauldron as it dropped and killed the last one. From the corner of his eye he saw Rian on a pike, chasing two undead Eliksni and vaporising them both.

"Hey, Moira," John yelled to his Ghost, "contact Gariks will you?"

"Right away," Moira responded.

An undead Eliksni with a club ran past him, and John grabbed one of its arms. The beast fell backward, and its arm was detached with ease. _These really are zombies aren't they? _John thought to himself as he finished the Eliksni off with his scout rifle.

"I am here John," John heard Gariks's raspy voice in his ears.

"Yeah, uh, you can fly ships right?" he quickly asked while he fought with another undead Eliksni that carried a club.

"Not this ship, but Hegiks can."

"Uh, well we need his help then. Just tell him to shoot the undead guys okay?"

"Yes."

Moira closed the channel as he killed the Eliksni. He heard a loud noise from behind him and turned around to see Rian's ship. The ship fired its weapons continuously, killing what seemed to be hundreds of undead Eliksi. He saw that Hegiks was careful not to shoot any living Eliksni.

"That Servitor is amazing!" John said to himself.

The Dreg that got hit with the cauldron on the ground next to him began to rise off the floor. The patches of its body that were burned were now replaced with small fleshy growths.

"Oh hell no!" John said, raising his rifle.

He wasn't quick enough however, and the undead Dreg dug its claws into John's back. John grunted, and tried not to fall backwards. He leaned forward with all his might and knocked the wind out of the Dreg.

He stood back up as Moira healed him and fired multiple shots from his rifle into the undead Dreg before it could attack him again. The Vandal and the other Dreg were gone, and so were most of the Eliksni at the landing. The battle was over, at least for a while.

Littered across the ground were dead Eliksni and weapons. No one was firing, and the only Eliksni John could see were living ones. Rian drove up to John with her pike, and jumped off.

"I think we'd better get out of here before they come back," Rian said, standing next to John.

"I just want to go to get some damn rest," John replied.

Rian gave a small chuckle, and the two transmatted into the ship.

"Get us the hell out of here!" John yelled to Hegiks as he ran into the cockpit.

The Servitor made a noise and the ship began to fly out of the cave. John beckoned Rian forward.

"Yes?" Rian asked.

"I need your Ghost to translate what this thing says," he said.

Rian held out her palm and her Ghost appeared above her hand. The Ghost turned into a blue ball with its eye in the centre, and the pyramidal shapes of its shell floating around it.

"Where's Gariks and what is he doing?" John asked.

"Really?" Rian whispered, "you could've just walked into any room to find him."

John shushed her as Rian's Ghost translated what Hegiks said.

"He is in the cargo room, modifying a heavy shank," she translated.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

THE WILDS

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

Araskes sat upside-down in a tree, using three of her arms to hold onto the branches, and holding the caged Ghost in her fourth. She knew exactly what Pirrha was doing, though she didn't like it. He just had to brag about his skills as a marksman.

"Do it," Pirrha's deep voice rang into her ears.

She tossed the cage with the Ghost as far and as high as she possibly could. She then saw a flash of purple, and then the Ghost exploded. The holes in the cage were just big enough for a shot from a crossbow to go through, but small enough so the Ghost couldn't escape.

Araskes had to admit, Pirrha was an amazing marksman, but she didn't like it when he showed off.

She jumped down from the tree and began making her way back to Pirrha.

"No need to impress her now," Araskes teased as she neared Pirrha.

"Well it certainly got her to talk," he said, staring at the Warlock that was on the ground, "she didn't tell me where the Guardians are hiding, but she did say when they plan to attack the city."

"Good enough. What are we going to do with her."

Pirrha visibly took a few seconds to think about it. Then his face lit up with an idea.

"I had the pleasure of killing her Ghost," he said, "why don't I give you the pleasure of killing her?"

Araskes smiled as the Guardian started to struggle in her restraints.

"Wait! No!" the Warlock screamed.

Araskes stomped her foot on the Warlocks torso, crushing her ribs. She had a blade attached to one of her lower arms and leaned in to speak to the Guardian.

"This is going to hurt," she whispered, "a lot."

The Warlock's scream was cut off as Araskes slit her throat. Blood stained the grass as she stood back up.

"Let's go," Araskes said to Pirrha as he laughed.

The two Scorn Barons ran back to their Skiff. Before they made it, they heard the sound of engines. The Cabal were coming for them.

"Distract them, I must set up!" Pirrha shouted to Araskes before running off and climbing up a large tree.

A Red Legion Harvester landed next to Araskes. The sides of it opened up and eight Cabal Legionaries jumped out.

Right away a Legionary was hit in the head by Pirrha's crossbow, causing oil to spray into the grass. Araskes jumped and used her two left hands to hold onto a tree. She held her gun in her upper right hand.

She fired, sending shards of void energy into the chest of a Legionary. The 800 pound beast fell backward, and Araskes fired at another one behind him.

She pulled a grenade off her belt and chucked it forward with her lower right hand. The grenade engulfed two Legionaries with fire and killed them both. Pirrha shot the last three in rapid succession with his crossbow.

"More will come!" Pirrha shouted, "we must go!"

The two jumped out of their trees and sprinted the last metres to the Skiff, jumping in as fast as they could. The Skiff lifted up from the clearing where it was landing.

About a kilometre in front of them, a blue spark appeared. The spark got larger and disappeared, leaving behind a Red Legion warship.

"Now what are we going to do!?" Araskes shouted, frustrated.

"Hmmm," Pirrha thought about it, "if we leave they will simply follow us. A Skiff against a warship is no good, but the Scorn against the Cabal…"

Pirrha turned and smiled at her.

"Oh no!" Araskes shouted.

Pirrha didn't listen and pushed the Skiff as fast as it could go. As the Skiff flew over the top deck of the warship the back opened. Every Raider and Stalker in the Skiff jumped out, and rolled onto the deck of the ship.

"Go on!" Pirrha said to Araskes, "it will be fun!"

"Ugh, fine," Araskes submitted.

Araskes used her dark Ether powers to teleport inside the ship's armoury. She cloaked before anybody could see her, and placed proximity mines inside every crate of ammo she could find.

Outside the armoury she could hear the pounds of Cabal coming in, and she quickly teleported up to the top deck. She walked forward and grabbed a Psion by its neck, snapping it while she fired at a Centurion.

Beneath her she felt a large explosions, and alarms began blaring all around the ship. She tore through the Centurion's shields, and she hurled the dead Psion at it. The Centurion stumbled back and she fired into its helmet.

A Stalker beside her repeatedly clubbed two Psions, tearing their armour apart. Araskes kicked one of them off the ship.

"Inside my Scorn!" Araskes yelled as they cleared the top deck.

Araskes and the Raiders teleported inside the ship as the Stalkers were left to run. They wreaked havoc on any Cabal they passed.

The Raiders headed to the ship's shield generator while Araskes teleported to the ship's bridge.

She appeared in the bridge and immediately cloaked. The ship's commander knew she was there however.

"Ha! The Eliksni are no match for the might of the Cabal!" said the huge Centurion as he turned around.

"Then what happened to your armoury!" Araskes retorted while she circled the bridge, "or your shields?"

"What about my shields?"

Another set of alarms began blaring over the other alarms as the entire ship shook. Araskes looked towards the large window and saw the Skiff hovering in front of it.

"We are no Eliksni," Pirrha's voice boomed over the bridge's speakers.

Pirrha fired the Skiff's guns and destroyed the bridge window. The Centurion ducked from the next shot and fired back with a large projection rifle.

The projection rifle's shots were slow, and Pirrha was able to dodge each one. While the commander was distracted on the Skiff, Araskes snuck up behind it and climbed onto its back. The Centurion tried to shake her off, but she sunk a blade into his neck.

Oil sprayed around the bridge, and Araskes jumped off in order to avoid getting hit with it. She jumped out of the window and into the Skiff. Araskes called for all of their Scorn to return over her communicator.

As the Raiders teleported inside the troop bay, Pirrha brought the Skiff around and shot at the warship's turrets. Pirrha was as skilled a pilot as a marksman, and avoided each shot from the turrets with ease.

One by one, every turret on the warships port side was destroyed within seconds. Araskes was able to see the Stalkers running around on the top deck.

Pirrha flew the ship over and picked them up.

"I think their ship is crippled enough for them not to chase us," Pirrha said.

"Plus their commander is dead," Araskes added.

"That too. Especially that."

"I guess I better make sure the Stalkers don't tear the place apart."

Araskes exited the cockpit and sat in the troop bay.

Every time a Scorn was resurrected their mind degraded further. If they were resurrected after they died as an Eliksni, they would become a Raider. After enough resurrections from being a Raider they would become a Stalker or a Lurker. After that is Ravager, then finally a Screeb.

Screebs were so mutated and deformed that the growths on their bodies become filled with volatile dark Ether. Meaning that they violently explode upon death. Screebs are the point where an Eliksni can't be resurrected further.

The Skiff broke Earth's atmosphere and made a jump to the Reef.

* * *

HIGH PLAINS

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

Seja's fighter flew over the High Plains, searching for either the crashed Ketch, or the hut.

"Got anything Shur?" Seja asked without turning behind her.

"Nothing yet," Shur frustatedly replied.

_He said the High Plains. He better not have lied to me. _Seja set the ship to autopilot mode and stood up from her seat.

Behind her, Shur was sitting at a scanning console, looking for either the Ketch or the hut. Ira was sitting in a chair behind her flipping a knife in her right hand.

"You ever seen Petra flip her knife?" Seja asked.

"No, but I've heard about it," Ira replied, "they say she can levitate it in her hand, spin it around and all that."

"Seja," Shur said, interrupting the two, "I think I found something."

"Show me," Seja said, turning around to look at Shur's terminal.

The screen showed the red outline of a Ketch lodged into a large asteroid just outside the High Plains.

"That has to be it," Seja said, walking back to the pilot seat.

Seja turned the ship towards the coordinates that showed up on the terminal and moved the ship as fast as it could go. The ship soared over the High Plains, and past the Awoken watchtower. About twenty kilometres further was the Ketch.

She set the ship down just outside the Ketch's front entrance, and the three Awoken materialized outside. They didn't expect to run into any trouble, but they had to be prepared.

Seja went first, with her squadmates at her sides behind her.

"Something's not right," said Ira, who was looking around the entrance room, "this place smells like Hive."

"Well, a Hive ship did crash here during the Taken war," Seja explained, "maybe they spread further than we thought."

Seja found a set of stairs on the side of the room and ran up with her squad behind her. The stairs led to a platform at the back of the room, and that platform led up to a door. The three went through.

The hallway they entered was too dark to see anything.

"Green?" Seja asked quietly.

"I'm here," Seja's Ghost said.

Green appeared over her right shoulder and began lighting up the hallway. Seja could now smell the stink of the Hive all over the walls and crates.

Seja quickly put her fist up to signal her team to stop when she began hearing a low growl. Thrall. She unsheathed her knife and turned the corner. In the darkness she could see three bony Thrall crouched in the corner. Luckily they didn't see her.

Seja put her knife back in its sheath and slid three smaller throwing knives in between her fingers. She flicked her arm forward and to the side, letting go of the knives. Each knife hit a Thrall in the back, and they dissolved into a dark gray powder.

"Let's keep moving," Seja whispered to her team.

As they continued down the hall they entered a large room. The room was layered, with each layer hosting four deactivated screens, and a staircase in the middle. At the far end of the room was a large Servitor connected to the ceiling above a circular counter. The Servitor was dead.

"There has to be more Hive here," Ira said quietly.

As if the Hive had heard her, two doors at the far end of the room opened. Out of each door three Acolytes entered the room. They could see their three green eyes glowing in the darkness.

Seja fired her hand cannon and shot one in the head. Its body turned a bright orange and fell apart, leaving nothing behind. Ira fired her scout rifle three times and hit an Acolyte in the chest. The Acolyte's bony structure turned to dust, and left only brown pieces of rugged armour on the floor.

Shur held an auto rifle and fired it in short bursts, killing two Acolytes.

One of the remaining Acolytes held a shredder in its hand and fired. Multiple sharp void projectiles slammed into the back of a screen that Seja was taking cover behind, burning the metal away.

Seja turned the corner of the screen and shot the Acolyte in the head, killing it instantly. The last Acolyte held one of its hands up in the air, and something made of fire began to form in its palm.

"Ira! Move!" Seja shouted.

Ira looked at the Acolyte for a split second and jumped to her side. She ran towards Seja's cover as the Acolyte hurled the ball of flame towards where she was originally hiding. The floor exploded, leaving burning metal and circuits behind.

Ira shot the Acolyte in the head with her rifle.

"So where are we going?" Shur asked, loading a fresh magazine into her rifle.

"Every Ketch has a throne room," Seja explained, "we need to get there. With any luck the power might be on further in the ship."

Her two squadmates nodded and they continued down the staircase. They turned to their right and went through a door that was stuck open. Ahead of them was a staircase that they could see without the help of Green.

The lights were on in this hallway. Seja was right. The power was on further in the ship. The three ran up the staircase and entered a large open room. The room was very tall, and at their end it was layered like the last room.

On the far end of the room there were holes in the wall near the ceiling. In each hole was a deactivated spider-walker.

"I hope the Hive don't make use of those," Ira joked.

"The Hive won't," Seja said, looking at the open floor beneath the holes, "but they will."

Ira and Shur looked where Seja was looking. On the floor was a ring of corrupted Ether. It turned into a large light blue fount. It produced a loud charging noise that grew louder with every second, waking up all the Hive around them.

The fount disappeared and two squads of five Scorn appeared.

"Looks like they got here before us," Shur said, raising her rifle.

Seja was hoping they would engage the Hive, but they didn't. Instead both the Scorn and the Hive turned towards the Awoken. Large groups of Thrall ran towards the three, only to be cut down by Shur's auto rifle.

Seja jumped to the side and took cover behind a curved metal panel. She turned the corner and shot two Acolytes in the head.

Three of the Scorn dropped their guns and pulled clubs into their hands. They ran up the stairs in the middle of the layered structure. Ira, who was shooting at a group of Thrall, was hit in the back by one of the Scorn's clubs.

Seja heard a scream behind her and saw a Scorn standing above Ira. She shot the Scorn in the head and shot another in its side. Shur continued to kill every Thrall in the room. Seja reached down and Ira took her hand.

A Scorn with a crossbow teleported to the top of a platform at the far end of the room. It charged and fired, searing through Seja's thigh.

Right after Seja helped Ira up, she fell over and clutched the side of her thigh. Ira turned and fired at the Scorn, but it teleported away before the bullets came in contact with it.

Ira knew how lightbearers worked, and didn't stop to help Seja. Green used what light he had to heal the hole in Seja's thigh.

Further down in the room came a loud roar. A door opened and a huge Hive Knight wielding a sword came through.

Seja quickly stood up to see the Knight running up to her. She began to unload a full magazine into its head, but after the first three shots came into contact; it deployed a black, rocky shield. The shield blocked every shot while it healed its wounds.

Shur had a view of the Knight's side and fired her auto rifle at its head. The Knight couldn't move. Orange cracks covered its body for a split second before it disintegrated.

Another group of Acolytes entered the room and fired their shredders at the Awoken. Ira rolled to her side to avoid the projectiles, while Seja and Shur took cover behind a stack of crates.

Seja turned over the side and shot two of the Acolytes in the head. While they were focused on Seja, Ira was able to quickly kill the last one. The remaining Scorn in the room teleported to the centre of the room.

They each held void crossbows. All seven of them charged and fired at the same time, causing a crate to explode.

"Damn!" Seja shouted.

Shur was knocked into the corner of the room by the explosion, but Seja was able to roll to a different cover.

The Scorn slowly walked up the staircase. One of the Scorn turned to its right only to be staring down the barrel of Ira's rifle.

"You guys aren't the brightest are you?" she said before pulling the trigger.

The Scorn's head blew apart and she smacked the next with her rifle, causing it to stumble backwards. Seja slung her rifle and unsheathed her knife.

She jumped up and jammed the knife into the back of a Scorn, causing it to squeal and fall. Shur shot the next two in the back with three shots from her auto rifle. Ira shot the Scorn that she hit, and ducked under another one that tried to hit her. Seja jammed her knife into the hip of the next Scorn, and threw the knife into the back of the next one's head.

Another fount of dark Ether formed in the centre of the room, but Seja wasn't expecting what came out of it.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

RIAN'S SHIP

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

"What?" John said in disbelief.

He stood up and marched into the cargo room. In the middle of the room sat a huge shank, that had most of the top of its chassis removed. The thing was taking up most of the room.

"Hey uh, what are you doing?" John asked, staring at the huge shank.

"Making Heft-9," Gariks replied calmly without looking up from his work, "why?"

"You're turning Heft into a huge shank?"

"Of course I am."

_I have no idea how that's gonna work, but these things are powerful so it will help a lot. _John thought.

"Huh," is all he replied as he leaned forward to examine the shank, "so where did you get it?"

"Some Dreg at Thieves Landing," he said, still not looking up, "was a great deal."

"Uh, how is this going to work?"

"I know it _will _work, but not _how._"

"That doesn't sound like much of a good thing."

The ship shook for about half a second and the intercom pinged.

"We've arrived at the farm," John heard Rian's voice.

John just shrugged his shoulders and exited the cargo room.

* * *

THE FARM

THE FARM, EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE

As Rian and John exited the ship they ran into a large crowd of Guardians. Most of them were sitting while others were standing, and they had their weapons by their sides. They heard a voice coming from the centre of the crowd and saw a blue Exo Hunter with a horn.

"And if I don't see you out there I will kill you myself," the Exo said.

The Guardians in the crowd looked at each other.

"What the hell did we just come into?" Rian whispered.

"No clue," John whispered back.

"Uh, guys? That was a joke," the Exo said after a few seconds of awkward silence, "we will be ruthless, smart, and handsome. Actually, leave those last two things to me. This big guy his name is uh…"

The Exo trailed off and looked at the ground, searching for a name.

"Gary!" he yelled, "wait no… Glen? No. Something with a G!"

"That's the Hunter Vanguard?" John whispered to Rian.

"Yup," she said, nodding her head.

"No wonder Seja left us."

The Exo rambled on and John wasn't paying attention. The next thing he heard was a loud 'yeah!'

None of the Guardians seemed excited.

"And there will be a ton of loot!" the Exo added.

That was when the Guardians began yelling and cheering. The Exo crossed his arms and slowly nodded.

"But remember, we still have to work out our plan," the Exo said once the noise died down, seriousness filling his voice.

Guardians were gathered in a circle around the Warlock and Hunter Vanguards, Ikora Rey and Cayde-6, as they devised their plan. The Titan Vanguard was at a different location with more Guardians in order to save space and head to the city from a different angle.

"So, our plan will be based on technology from Cayde," Ikora began, "and information from Hawthorne."

Hawthorne, the leader of the farm, was with Zavala.

"While I was on Nessus," Cayde started as he stepped forward, "I was faced with millions of Vex. And I killed them all without taking a single hit. Then there was this big tall dude with an explosive gun, he had to be about a mile tall. I climbed up his leg, and jumped onto his head, and I beat the crap out of it. What was in his hand was a Vex teleporter, one that we are going to use to get aboard Ghaul's ship.

"But for such a tall Vex; the teleporter is only short range, so we have to get up close. That's where you all come in. You're going to help us get as close as we can, and when we are in position we will have a Guardian come in and use the teleporter. Now, we're going to have to stall for a bit as that Guardian is going to be busy with their own task. But when they get there you will know.

"Sound good?"

The Guardians silently nodded to each other.

"Now I know a lot of that sounded real vague," Cayde continued, "but that's because we're going to have to work out a lot of things when we actually get to the city. So why are we waiting here? We got a space rhino to kill!"

The Guardians sat up, talking quietly to each other, and broke apart. They all headed for their own ships.

"You are very inspiring," Ikora said to Cayde as the Guardians left.

"Huh, maybe it's my voice?" he joked.

"Definitely."

"Wait no, it's my horn. Definitely my horn."

Ikora smiled at Cayde's terrible jokes, but she had to remind of his task.

"Remember, the streets will be crowded with Cabal," Ikora explained, "it is vital that you and your Guardians clear them for my Sparrows."

"Don't worry," Cayde said, "I didn't forget. I may act dumb sometimes, but I'm not _really_ dumb."

"Right."

"No, really."

"I wasn't disagreeing. But maybe you're dumb for thinking I was."

Cayde put his hands on his hips and looked down, chuckling. Cayde waved as Ikora ran off to her Warlocks.

_Maybe once this is all over I can get back to business on the Reef, _he thought. Before the start of the Red War, Cayde assisted Awoken and Eliksni in capturing enemies of the galaxy to be put in the Prison of Elders. Cayde had heard about some outbreak of undead Eliksni on the Tangled Shore, and had thought for some time about how much glimmer arresting them would get him.

Cayde ran to his own ship. His role in the assault was the most crucial of them all. It would be because of him that Ghaul would be killed. Without his teleporter the Guardians would lose.

"Hey Sundance!" Cayde yelled.

His white Ghost with an orange stripe down the middle of its shell appeared next to him.

"Yeah?" she said.

"You still got my teleporter right?"

"Of course I do stupid."

Sundance was like him. Overconfident, carefree, but that was only when others saw her. She was really just like every other Ghost, talented at everything.

His ship flew past the forests and peaks outside the city. He saw where the Guardians were gathered for their assault, in an all too familiar place.

* * *

DUSKSHIP ZETIKS-MIK

HIGH PLAINS, THE TANGLED SHORE

Standing in front of the three Awoken was a fourteen foot tall hulk of rotting flesh, with no head or lower arms. It looked more like a Hive Ogre than an Eliksni.

"Oh, what the hell is that!?" Shur shouted in disgust.

Seja noticed a hint of fear in her dark purple eyes.

"I honestly don't want to know," Seja replied, "but whatever it is, it needs to be killed."

The three Awoken ran off in every direction as it roared. It raised one of its hands and a burst of energy shot out of it.

The energy hit Ira in the chest, blowing her into a wall behind her. Seja unloaded a full magazine into the metal that covered its neck. Seja distracted it while Shur got behind it.

Energy formed on the thing's forearm and it raised its hand towards Seja.

"Shur?" Seja yelled.

"Hold on!" Shur yelled as she climbed up the wall to get to the next level.

The giant mutated Eliksni fired from its hand and missed. Then energy formed on its other fist.

Seja rolled out of the way of the next shot, but the Eliksni began to slowly walk toward her. On the second level Shur began accessing a damaged console.

Energy filled the Abomination's palms as it got closer to Seja. The thing had backed her into a wall, and there was no way out. Just as it raised its fists, a ball of fire impacted the Abomination in the back, causing it to stumble forward.

Seja rushed away from the beast and saw Ira holding an old Eliksni scorch cannon.

"Thanks!" Seja quickly yelled.

The energy that was in its palms was no longer there, but it began to charge again to fire at both Ira and Seja.

"Got it!" Seja heard Shur yell from the upper level, "hey ugly!"

Once the Abomination took a few steps forward it looked up.

"Catch!"

Shur pressed a key on the terminal, and one of the deactivated walkers began to slide out of its hole. The Abomination raised its hands, but the walker landed on top of it; crushing its bones and causing it to collapse under the weight.

Shur jumped down from the platform and landed perfectly on her feet.

"Let's go," Seja ordered, "throne room should be just through here."

The three walked through a door on the lower level and entered a short hallway. It lead up to another hallway that had windows on one side of it. Through the windows they saw a large open room with a circular platform in the middle.

"Weird setup for a throne room," Shur said.

"Weird that there is also no throne," Ira replied.

"Weird that I thought this was a throne room," Seja also said.

Two doors at the back of the room opened and multiple Acolytes entered the room. Doors underneath them opened and Scorn also entered the room.

"Why are they working together?" Seja whispered.

A fount of dark Ether formed in the middle of the circular platform, and it released a single Scorn. He was huge. He had a helmet covering most of his face, a long cape, and two horns growing out of his helmet. The horns looked like they were made out of the same material as Hive armour. There was some kind of purple energy radiating out of the helmet in between the horns.

"What the hell kind of Scorn is that?" Shur whispered.

"He looks like Oryx," Seja whispered back.

Oryx was the king of the Hive until he was killed by a team of six Guardians. Seja had never seen him in person, but everybody in the Reef knew what he looked like. He and his sisters were the gods of the Hive.

"I think Oryx has a fan," Ira joked.

Another large Scorn entered the room, this one looking like a Eliksni Captain. Its helmet was tall, skinny, and had long sticks protruding from the sides. It knelt in front of the Eliksni-Hive hybrid and spoke.

"Hiraks," its deep gravelly voice spoke, "Fikrul requests an update on our progress."

Hiraks. That was this beast's name.

Hiraks began to speak back to the Captain, but Seja was unable to understand him. He wasn't speaking Eliksni, and in fact, his speech sounded more like Hive.

"Is that thing even an Eliksni?" Shur asked.

"I don't know, but we are taking him down," Seja ordered, "let's go."

The three sprinted down the hall. They turned to the right, to their left, and to their left again before running into a door.

Seja held out her hand and Green began to zap at the middle of the door.

Hiraks' deep voice sounded from the other side of the door. She was still amazed that an Eliksni was able to not only able to control the Hive, but even speak their language as well.

"The Awoken are here," the Scorn Captain said, "I will deal with this scum, for I am Fikrul's chosen."

The door opened and Green quickly disappeared. Hiraks had disappeared as well.

"Sorry, are we interrupting?" Seja yelled to 'Fikrul's chosen'.

"Your words are not enough to save you," the Captain said.

The Captain raised his fist into the air and fire shot out of it. A cauldron appeared next to Seja and it began spewing out fire.

The three Awoken quickly jumped away from it before they could get burned.

"Kill them!" the Captain yelled.

Seja tackled a Scorn and shoved her knife into its chest. She got up and threw a knife at another Scorn.

Ira jumped over a burst fired from an Acolyte's shredder, and she returned the fire. She shot two Acolytes in the head, and a third in the chest.

Fikrul's Chosen loomed over Shur as he aimed his flamethrower at her. He squeezed the trigger, but she rolled forward. She Jammed a knife into the large Captain's shin.

"That is all you have?" the Captain lifted up his leg, and slammed it into the ground; causing Shur to fly backwards.

He quickly turned around and whacked Ira in the head with his lower arm, causing her to fall.

Seja twisted a Scorn's neck, and shot the next one with her sidearm. The Scorn in front of her shot back with its three barreled sidearm. The first two shots missed, but the next one hit her cloak.

"Oh you're going to pay for that!" Seja yelled as her cloak began burning up.

She dashed forward, grabbed the Scorn's forearm, and twisted it so the barrels of the sidearm were facing the thing's head. She grabbed its three-fingered hand and pulled the trigger, blowing its head off.

Seja unfastened her cloak and left it to burn on the floor. Another flame-spewing cauldron appeared in front of her and she turned around to see Fikrul's Chosen staring at her. She jumped up, jammed her knife into the wall, and held on with her sidearm in her other hand.

Seja rapidly fired her sidearm as fast as she could at the Captain's head. Behind the Captain, Ira helped Shur up and they started to shoot at the Hive.

She pulled her knife out of the wall and dropped down to the floor to reload. The Captain raised its whole body up, except for one of its legs. It then slammed its other leg down on the floor, causing a shockwave that flung Seja into the wall behind her.

Above her a Scorn walked toward her with a club. Her sidearm was knocked too far away for her to reach, but she knew this wasn't her end. It couldn't be.

As the Scorn raised its club, a bullet shot through its head. The air around Seja filled with dark Ether and the Scorn fell forward. Seja slid back so the dead Scorn didn't land on her and she ran for her sidearm.

She located the sidearm and ran towards it, but suddenly a cauldron appeared on top of it, and it spewed flame all over the floor. The sidearm burned and began to melt. Now not only had she lost her cloak, but she lost her sidearm as well.

She used Green to communicate to Ira and Shur who were giving Fikrul's Chosen everything they had.

"Guys. Let me handle this," she said softly to her team.

The two stopped firing and watched Seja. She pulled out two combat knives from her belt and stared at Fikrul's Chosen, who was staring at her as well.

She sprinted forward as fast as she could, and jumped up. She grabbed the barrel of the flamethrower, but swung off before the enemy could fire it. She jammed both knives into the Scorn's stomach, and turned to her right.

She slid one knife out of the Scorn and slashed the fuel tank on the flamethrower. She looked at the now frightened Captain's face.

"You burn my two favourite things in this universe," she said, "and I burn you."

She quickly hopped off Fikrul's Chosen with both knives still in her hands. The flamethrower then violently exploded, burning the skin off the Captain.

"You two, access any terminals and see what you can find here," Seja ordered, "I'm going after Hiraks to stop him from accomplishing whatever his mission is."

"You got it boss," Shur acknowledged, quickly running off to find a terminal.

Seja left them to find information, and followed Hiraks's trail.


	5. Chapter 4

TWILIGHT GAP

CITY PERIMETER, EARTH

Rian's ship was among the last to arrive at the Guardian's meeting place before the assault. Everyone knew the plan, now they just had to wait. There were multiple breaches in the city's wall that not even the Guardians had known about.

Luckily for the Guardians, there were no enemies at Twilight Gap. Twilight Gap was an old military bunker that was the site of the biggest battle the Guardians ever faced. Before the House of Dusk there were many other Eliksni houses, and they all banded together in order to attack the city. However, they failed. The battle was named after Twilight Gap.

Rian and John materialized in the middle of the crowded base. Cayde was there again to tell the Guardians what to do.

"I'm going to be serious for a moment guys," the Hunter Vanguard began, "we can do this. We're going to have to walk from here all the way to the city walls. No ships, because they'll know we're coming. Same thing with Sparrows. We cannot give the Cabal warning."

Every Guardian silently stood straight.

"Let's go," said Cayde.

The Guardians walked forward, toward the city. Walking through the wilds wouldn't be an easy task for Warlocks and Titans. But Hunters were made for the Wilds.

Huge crowds of Guardians trekked down the slope of the mountain that Twilight Gap was located on.

* * *

THE WILDS

CITY PERIMETER, EARTH

"We should've went with Ikora," John complained as the Guardians walked.

"Yeah but, Ikora is so boring," Rian retorted.

The Guardians had been walking non-stop for two hours. John wondered if Ikora or Zavala were making their Guardians walk this far.

"Plus it's good to get some exercise," Rian continued.

"Ah well, at least we started in the outskirts."

From what John was hearing, they were the only two talking. He didn't know what the other Guardians were feeling, but he was excited. He wanted to retake his home. He wanted to be done with all the threats to humanity and just live in peace.

"I wish other Guardians weren't so afraid of the Eliksni," Rian said, "Gariks would be a good addition to the team here."

"Me too," John replied, "but what would be even better is Gariks' heavy shank."

"You mean Heft-9?"

"Heh. Yeah."

As the Guardians crossed a stream, Cayde had everyone halt. They had to be extremely careful. Who knows how many Red Legion patrols they could run into. Cayde gave the all clear to a Guardian at the front of the group, and they passed it on to the Guardians behind them.

After another two hours and the Guardians were able to see the ruined tower over the trees.

"Man I loved that place," John said, his mind filling with memories from times he was at the tower.

"Sad that we aren't going to be able to go back there even after we retake the city," Rian said.

"All we'd have to do is fix it!" said a voice from behind the two Warlocks.

John and Rian turned around to see two Exos walking close by. One was a Warlock, and one was a Titan. The Titan's head was black while the Warlock's head was light gray, and their eyes were purple. Other than the colour difference they looked exactly the same.

"Joe leave them alone," the Warlock told the Titan.

"Uh, no you can talk to us," Rian said to the pair of Exos.

John and Rian slowed down to let the two Exos catch up.

"I'm John, and this is Rian," John introduced him and Rian.

"I'm Jack-14, and this is Joseph-10," the Warlock introduced him and the Titan.

John held out his hand and shook hands with both Exos. The two Exos sounded exactly the same, except Jack had a slightly higher pitched voice. _I didn't know there was a such thing as Exo twins, _John thought.

"It's just awfully quiet out here," Joe explained, "I heard you two talking and thought I could just chime in."  
"It's fine," John said, "though we should be quieter. If there are Red Legion patrols out in the wilds then they could probably track us down if we're too loud."

"Right," Jack said, "which is why we shouldn't have bothered you."

John and Rian looked at each other, confused while Jack dragged Joe away.

"They seem like a fun bunch," Rian joked.

"Yeah they don't seem too bad," John replied, "maybe we'll fight alongside them during the battle."

John looked over the tips of the trees and saw the top of the city wall. Cayde halted the group and searched around again for a few minutes. The sky was now dark, and Cayde addressed the Guardians once more.

"We are extremely close to the wall now," he said, "some of us won't be coming back. So if you want to say goodbye to your fellow Guardians just in case you never see each other again, now's the time."

John turned to Rian and they stared at each other, looking straight into each other's eyes.

"Rian," John began, "we are going to be side by side for this fight, but I want to say this now. Ever since your rescued me from those Cabal hounds I… I felt something between us. I love you Rian."

"Just shut up and kiss me," Rian joked.

The two Warlocks wrapped their arms around each other, and they put their lips together. They both closed their eyes and held the kiss for about five seconds before letting go.

"And I love you too," Rian smiled.

They let go of each other and turned toward the wall. John had been wanting to confess his feelings to Rian for a while now. He was glad the get them off his chest. He was also glad she felt the same way.

As the Guardians finished saying goodbye to each other, they all turned towards the wall. Every Guardian marched, prepared for whatever fight the Cabal would give them.

* * *

DUSKSHIP ZETIKS-MIK

HIGH PLAINS, THE TANGLED SHORE

As Seja walked through the door she realized she didn't know where she was going.

"Green?" she asked for her Ghost.

"Right here," he appeared.

"Out of all the places on this Ketch, where do you think Hiraks would be going?"

"Definitely the bridge."

"Show me the way."

A small gray diamond appeared on the HUD of Seja's helmet. She ran through the next door, and it smelled worse than the rest of the ship. In front of her was a staircase covered in Hive growths and biomass.

The biomass squelched under her feet as she climbed past it. She held onto the walls because it was more slippery than it looked.

The next room she entered was similar to the room where they encountered the Hive for the first time. It was layered and had a disabled Servitor hanging from the ceiling. This room was longer however.

Two doors on the left side of the room opened and four Acolytes ran into the room from them. Seja quickly rolled to the side and took cover behind a panel that was still active. But when the first salvo of Hive shredder rounds hit, the panel broke.

Seja turned the corner of the panel and shot two Acolytes in the head in quick succession. She dodged to the next panel beside her to avoid the next salvo of shredder rounds.

When she turned the corner to shoot the next Acolyte, a shredder round hit her hand cannon and seared through it.

"Oh for the Queen's sake," Seja cursed, throwing her hand cannon onto the ground.

She climbed over the panel and jumped on top of an Acolyte. She jammed her knife into its bony head, causing it to disintegrate. She slashed the next Acolyte twice in the chest, covering the floor in gray powder.

She then kicked the shredder out of the next Acolyte's hand and grabbed it before it hit the ground. She squeezed the trigger and three sharp-edged void rounds cut through the Acolyte.

The shredder felt nice in her hand, and satisfying to shoot. She shot the last three Acolytes in the head with the shredder, killing them all in one shot.

A door at the far end of the room opened and a Knight entered the room. The Knight carried a huge boomer. The Knight aimed at Seja and fired the boomer, the light blue explosive shots emitted dark screams as they sailed through the air.

Seja ran to the other side of the room in order to avoid the deadly shots. The first two shots from the boomer impacted the panels, and demolished them both.

A horde of about fifteen Thrall ran out from behind the Knight, and charged toward Seja. She held the tigger on the shredder down, causing the gun to become less stable each time it shot. However, each shot from the shredder was able to take two Thrall with it.

Every Thrall was dead before they could even get close enough to scratch her, but the shredder burned out. The Knight noticed the Thrall were dead and fired another salvo of explosive rounds from the boomer.

Seja ran forward and dashed to the side whenever a boomer shot got close in order to avoid them. She unsheathed both her knives and jumped up to kill the Knight.

The Knight fired its boomer again, impacting Seja right in her chest. She flew backwards with arc energy coursing through her body. Once her burning body slammed into the floor the Knight began to cheer.

Unbeknownst to the Knight, Seja was still alive. Green used as much energy as he could to heal Seja back to full strength. As the Knight foolishly turned around, she grabbed her knives. She sprinted up to the Knight, and jammed the knives into the back of its skull, causing it to burn up and disintegrate.

The gray diamond on her HUD pointed towards the door the Knight came out of, and she sprinted through it. She had already wasted enough time, she had to stop Hiraks from accomplishing whatever his mission was.

The next room she entered was large and open. The room had two large metal platforms on each end, connected by a single thin bridge. Underneath the bridge was a pit of white gas, presumably Ether.

Dark Ether founts began forming on the platform on the other end of the room, and about twenty club-wielding Scorn appeared. They merged into a single file and started running across the bridge.

Seja no longer had any guns, and she was running out of knives as well. Luckily some of the Scorn also had those three-barreled pistols.

Seja waited for the first Scorn to get close, and she grabbed its arm. She snapped its arm off its body and pulled the club into her hand. She swung the club upward, and whacked the Scorn into the air.

The next two Scorn she slashed in the face. The following enemy wielded a pistol. She dodged the first shot, and swung with the club, hitting it in the arm. It dropped the pistol and Seja picked it up.

Three Scorn were now close, and they all swung. One missed, one hit her in her right arm, and one hit her leg.

Seja stumbled forward and dropped the club. The three Scorn above her raised their clubs, but Seja fired the pistol three times, hitting them all in the head. She rolled to her side to stop them from landing on her.

She picked the club she dropped back up as Green healed her arm. She fired her pistol at a Scorn and immediately swung the club at the next one.

Another Scorn tried to hit her, but she slid to the side and avoided the blow. She hit the Scorn in the side with her club, and flung it over the bridge's railing.

She aimed with her Scorn pistol and fired, each shot snagging a victim. Only two of them

died, and the third one was caught on fire. She fired the pistol again, and all three rounds hit it, killing it once and for all.

The flaming Scorn gave Seja an idea. She held her club forward, and shot it with the pistol. The club caught fire, but it didn't begin to melt. _Oh this is going to hurt. _Seja smacked the next Scorn with her club, burning its skin.

She swung again and killed two with one swing. She used her pistol to kill the last four Scorn. All she could hear in the room now was her heavy breathing, and the swishing of gas below her.

She sprinted across the bridge before any more Scorn showed up.

"Which way now?" she asked Green once she was on the other side of the room.

"Uh… this way," Green responded, a gray diamond showing up in front of a door on Seja's HUD.

The door was locked, but it had some type of keypad on the wall next to it. She deployed Green to see what he could do, but then dark Ether founts filler her side of the room.

* * *

THE WILDS

CITY OUTSKIRTS, EARTH

"You saw that Warlock chick right?" Joe said to Jack.

"Her name is Rian," Jack responded.

"Yeah whatever, but she's kinda hot."

"Uh, Joe? You might want to look behind you."

Joe turned around and saw Rian holding John. They were kissing.

"Damnit," Joe sighed.

All the other Guardians began to turn towards the wall and continue their march.

"We're gonna die alone aren't we?" Joe complained the Jack.

"Yeah probably, but you know what? I don't care," Jack replied.

The two Exo brothers continued marching in silence.

* * *

Ahead of all the Guardians was the wall. They were able to see their entrance. An ancient breach at the bottom of the wall, and sure enough, it was unguarded.

"Alright friends, this is where we part ways," Cayde said, gathering all the Guardians once more, "me and a certain feathered friend need to meet with the Vanguard. Now here's the hard part, you won't attack until we signal you? Got it?"

The Guardians collectively nodded and Cayde gave them a thumbs up. He ran off into the trees while the Guardians sprinted to the breach. Each Guardian stood in their own open space in the jagged metal pieces of the wall. If any Cabal did decide to come patrolling, they wouldn't see the Guardians.

John and Rian continued to stay close together.

"Oh I hope we get through this," John worried.

"Don't worry. We will," Rian comforted him.

The other Guardians were whispering to each other, most of them wondering what the signal was going to be. They saw Joe and Jack bickering about something that they couldn't make out.

Every Guardian's Ghost suddenly pinged, and everyone answered it at the same time.

Cayde's voice rang into their ears, "I have your signal. The first shot you hear from a Cabal weapon, you burst from your cover. Wreak havoc on the Cabal until we give you actual orders, so have fun."

The communications closed, and the Guardians kept their ears open.

About an hour had past and there was no signal yet. The Guardians were getting restless. Suddenly they heard the sound of a Cabal shotgun go off.

"That's our sign!" a Hunter yelled.

"Let's go!" a Titan yelled.

Every Guardian that was hiding in the wall sprinted out of their covers. Rian and John stuck together, sprinting out into the streets of the desolate city.

Cabal Interceptors sped past them, and a Guardian jumped on top of one. They kicked the Psion out of the drivers seat and used it to destroy the other interceptor.

Cabal ships began flying all over the city. The war cry of Guardians was heard all throughout the city.

Rian noticed a Cabal Thresher landed on the roof of an old apartment building, and she beckoned John forward. John ran up to her and they both began climbing up the building.

Two Legionaries looked over the roof and aimed their slug rifles at the two Warlocks, but their heads suddenly burst, spewing oil. John looked behind him and saw a Hunter salute. He saluted back.

Rian and John made it to the roof and quickly dealt with the Psions guarding the Thresher.

"How will they know we're friendly?" John asked, opening the hatch to the Thresher.

"We just have to trust them I guess," Rian replied, sliding inside.

John immediately grabbed the pilot controls, and the Thresher rose from its landing pad.

"You can fly these things?" Rian yelled.

"I can try!" he yelled back.

The Thresher moved back, and then to its left. John saw a group of Guardians pinned down by a Goliath tank and moved the Thresher over to them. He hovered it in place above the Guardians and aimed its giant gun at the Goliath tank.

As the Thresher fired, the shots tore through the Goliath's armour plating, and it began to blow up from the inside. The Guardians that were pinned gave John a thumbs up and continued down the street.

"Oh man! I could do this all day!"

* * *

Joe mounted his machine gun on a destroyed wall and began shredding a squad of Legionaries. Multiple Phalanxes ran around the corner of the building.

"A little help Jack?" Joseph yelled into his Ghost.

The Phalanxes suddenly exploded into void energy and Jack came around the corner of the next building with his Graviton Lance. Joseph dismounted his machine gun and ran up to Jack.

"Nice!" he said while fist bumping his brother.

The two Guardian's communicators started pinging. It was time for Cayde to give them orders.

"Whoever stole that Thresher," Cayde said, "nice! But you're gonna get shot down. Yeah, I realized we could do with some air support, so I'm marking Red Legion anti-air batteries for you to take out. Happy hunting."

A gray diamond appeared on Joseph's HUD, and then he could see it. A group of four Cabal anti-air turrets.

"Saint, what 'chu got?" Joseph said to his Ghost.

"I can either disable the guns or blow them up," his Ghost said, "blowing them up will take more time but it will definitely be more worth it."

"Damn straight."

Two ripper pods smashed into the ground in front of Joseph and Jack. Three Legionaries stepped out of each one.

"Oh you picked the wrong Exos the mess with!" Joseph yelled, while holding his machine gun low.

He pulled the trigger back and shredded the first three Legionaries before they could even fire, and Jack used his pulse rifle to kill the other three.

"I don't think they want us destroying their guns," Jack said as two Interceptors rolled down the street.

Before the Exos could do anything, the fronts of the Interceptors exploded, and the Psions flew out from their seats in the back. The stolen Thresher that Cayde mentioned flew over the street.

But suddenly the anti-air guns activated. Joseph saw two Guardians eject from the Thresher before it got shredded. The Thresher exploded into thousands of pieces after only a few shots from the anti-air guns.

Joseph and Jack sprinted past the wrecked interceptors and came up to the gun's control console.

"Send them to hell Saint!" Joseph cheered as he deployed his Ghost.

"Oh hey!" the two Exos heard a voice behind them. It was Rian, and John.

"Hey Rian," Joseph said awkwardly.

"Hey John," Jack said.

"What's up," John said.

The two Exo's simply shrugged. Three ripper pods suddenly slammed into the ground next to the guns. Each ripper pod released one Phalanx and two Legionaries. And then a fourth, much larger ripper pod slammed into the ground.

"Well crap," Joseph said as he loaded his machine gun.


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

DUSKSHIP ZETIKS-MIK

HIGH PLAINS, THE TANGLED SHORE

Multiple crossbow wielding Scorn appeared on small platforms above Seja. In the middle was her target. Hiraks was standing there, wielding a Hive boomer while he had Acolytes at his sides.

"We are so dead," said Green.

"I don't think so," Seja replied, determined.

Hiraks laughed at Seja. Like every Eliksni, his laugh was incredibly deep. Hiraks suddenly began to float a few feet off the ground as the Acolytes and Scorn raised their weapons at Seja.

Arc energy surrounded Hiraks as the Acolytes opened fire. Seja dodge the first salvo, but the second one hit her in the leg three times. She stumbled, but wasn't going to let that stop her.

She raised her Scorn pistol and fired twice, each shot killing an Acolyte. Three more Acolytes came out from behind Hiraks and the crossbow Scorn began to charge their weapons.

Seja shot her club and hurled it at an Acolyte. The Acolyte immediately burned up. Seja jumped out of the way of another salvo of shredder rounds, but then a shot from a crossbow hit her in her left hand.

She screamed and dropped the pistol, but she quickly picked up the pistol in her right hand. She shot the last two Acolytes, and then fired at the crossbow Scorn. The Scorn teleported in front of Seja before the shot hit, and then he smacked her with both his left arms.

Seja reeled back, but quickly regained balance. She grabbed the Scorn's arm, and twisted it. It shrieked and dropped the crossbow, which Seja immediately grabbed. She charged the crossbow and shot the Scorn straight through its stomach.

It flew back, and another crossbow Scorn teleported into its original place. The Scorn fired before Seja could, but she jumped out of the way, causing it to miss its shot. Now it was her turn.

She charged her crossbow, and shot the Scorn in the head.

Hiraks stopped glowing blue, and he stepped back onto the floor. She just noticed that he had grown to twice his size.

"Green, we need to go!" Seja yelled to who Ghost, who was still working on the door.

"I'm going as fast as I can, for some reason this lock is _way _hard to pick," Green yelled back.

Seja charged the crossbow and fired, it barely left a mark on Hiraks' helmet. Hiraks walked forward and raised his foot. Then he slammed it down, denting the metal platform and causing a shockwave that sent Seja flying into the wall behind her.

_Oh I wish Heft was here! _Seja thought. She picked the crossbow back up and fired it at Hiraks' head again. This time he stumbled back a slight bit.

He raised the boomer in his hands and fired. Seja slid out of the way before the shot impacted the platform. It left a huge hole.

"Green!?" she shouted.

"Got it!" Green yelled as the door opened.

Seja slid underneath Hiraks, and he stomped on the platform again; further denting it. Hiraks teleported into the hallway. The door was too small for him, but the ceiling in the subsequent hallway wasn't.

Seja ran for her life as Hiraks chased her. He continuously fired the boomer at Seja, making her have to dodge every shot. Seja could see the entrance to the bridge in front of her. She was almost there.

Suddenly a dark Ether fount formed in front of the door.

"No!" she screamed as a tall Dreg appeared.

The Dreg held a flame cauldron and it rapidly swung it by a chain. Seja couldn't stop herself from moving, and the giant cauldron struck her, launching her back. Instead of stopping to finish her, Hiraks continued. He ran straight past the huge Dreg and into the bridge.

The Dreg smiled and slowly approached her, letting out a single laugh as he rose the cauldron. Suddenly a bright orange ball of pure solar energy impacted him. Seja turned around and saw Ira and Shur, both with scorch cannons. They continued firing and staggered the Dreg.

Ira ran towards Seja and pulled her up.

"We have to go," Ira said.

"But Hiraks is right in there!" Seja yelled.

Dark Ether founts began to form behind them, releasing uncountable amounts of Scorn into the hallway. The Dreg regained his balance and slowly walked towards them, dragging his cauldron on the floor.

"We have to go!" Ira shouted.

Shur was firing the scorch cannon into the hordes of Scorn and quickly ran out of ammo. The three were teleported into their ship before the Scorn could kill them.

"Did you find what they're after?" Seja asked.

"That Ketch carried an important map," Shur responded, "no idea where the map leads though, nothing in the logs mentioned that."

"Well then it looks like we have more hunting to do."

* * *

TOWER PLAZA

THE LAST CITY, EARTH

Pirrha's Skiff flew over the ruins of the Guardian's tower, and he landed. He pulled his crossbow off his back and looked into the chaos below. Guardians were running about the streets killing Cabal. Cabal ships were flying around left and right.

"Come one Pirrha!" Araskes called from the Skiff, "lets not keep those Guardians waiting!"

Pirrha chuckled and ran back to the Skiff.

* * *

THE LAST CITY

THE LAST CITY, EARTH

Torin-28 and her team of Hunters just finished disabling a group of Cabal AA guns when they were contacted by Cayde-6.

"Torin, I'm calling on you girl," Cayde's voice rang out from her Ghost, "you know that old clothing store a street down from you?"

"Uh… yeah," Torin responded, taking note that his voice sounded a bit off.

"Great, there's a Red Legion commander sitting on top of an explosives cache there. Not only is this your chance to eliminate one of their commanders, but you can also stop them from blowing us all up."

"Alright I'll head there after a question."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"You sound kind of strange, are you hurt?"

"There's a freakin' war going on around us, we're all hurt. Just get there, there isn't much time."

Torin closed the channel and called her Hunters to follow her. She ran through the ruined streets with her fireteam behind her, and they saw the ruined clothing store.

"You two stay out here," Torin ordered her team, "this might be a trap, so I'm going inside."

The Hunters nodded and Torin went inside. There was no Red Legion commander, but there was an explosives cache. She deployed her Ghost to scan the cache and see if it's a trap.

Suddenly a line of void energy appeared and struck her Ghost.

"Wait! What!?" she looked over at the pieces of her Ghost on the floor, "no! What the hell?"

One of her Hunters got hit by a bolt of void energy. Straight through the skull. Torin took cover on one of the wall of the store and ordered her remaining hunter inside.

"Give me your Ghost I need to contact Cayde," Torin ordered the Hunter, "now!"

"Of course ma'am," the Hunter hastily pulled out their Ghost.

"What the hell Cayde!?"

Cayde did not respond, but something far worse did. A weird, distorted, laugh rang out from the Ghost. That was definitely not a Guardian. Or a Cabal. What was it?

Suddenly void energy shot through the wall and struck the Ghost's core, causing it's pieces to fly around the store.

"This is it. These are our final seconds," Torin cried to her last fireteam member.

The next void bolt that flew through the wall struck Torin's head.

* * *

"Ha, ha, ha! Not even walls are a match for me!" Pirrha laughed.

"Behind you," Araskes said over the comms.

Pirrha turned around and was immediately tackled by one of the Cabal's War Beasts. He held its head way from his with his top hands, while he grabbed a blade with his lower right hand. He shoved the blade into the stomach of the War Beast, and began to skin it in the middle of the battlefield.

He inspected the pelt once he cut it off. _Hmm. Very nice scales. _He took the pelt with him as he ran back through the streets.

* * *

A giant Red Legion Colossus loomed over the four guardians. It charged its heavy slug thrower and took aim.

"Scatter!" Rian shouted.

Rian circled the guns and took cover behind them. So did Joseph. Jack and John ran off in different directions. The Colossus started shooting its heavy slug thrower at the building Jack was hiding behind. It tore the bricks to shreds.

John climbed to the top of a building and shot down at the Phalanxes. He also distracted the Legionaries. Rian turned the corner from her cover and fired her pulse rifle at two Legionaries. She hit them in their jump packs and they started to burn up.

Joseph turned his corner and began unloading a full magazine from his machine gun into the Colossus. The Colossus didn't budge, and it started focusing its fire on Joseph.

"Crap! Help!" Joseph yelled to Rian, who just killed the last of the Legionaries.

"I think Jack's got it!" she yelled back.

She saw Jack climb to the top of the building across from John and pull out a rocket launcher. He fired three rockets into the Colossus, burning its armour and killing it.

"Got the turrets down, everyone get out of the way!" Saint yelled before materializing back into Joseph's pocket.

Everyone ran away from the turrets, and in a few seconds a violent explosion shook the earth. Bits of metal spewed everywhere, and a large crater was left in the ground.

"Oh come on, I didn't get to see it," Joseph complained.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you see the next explosion," Saint said.

"One, two, and three gun batteries down!" Cayde shouted over communications, "_that's enough to summon a Primeval, _wait what did I say? Just kidding. Anyways I found some more stuff for you to blow up, I bet you'll love it."

Two Gray diamonds appeared on the Guardian's HUDs. Long range communications jamming towers. Those blocked Guardians from communicating to their ships, but not to each other.

"We knock these things out and Heft-9 joins us for the rest of the battle!" John shouted excitedly.

"Yeah, who's Heft-9?" Jack asked.

"You'll see"

The four Guardians reloaded all their weapons and set off for the first comm jammer.

"Once these are down, there's no way the Cabal are winning this fight."


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

THE HOLLOWED LAIR

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

All of the Scorn Barons except for Araskes and Pirrha were gathered around Fikrul in their lair. Yaviks, Kaniks, Reksis Vahn, Elykris, and Hiraks.

"Oh, my Scorn, my siblings, today is a great day," Fikrul began, "Hiraks has acquired the location of every one of Spider's outposts. All of his resources will be ours in time. And, the locations of the remaining Crow Barons."

Fikrul presented each baron in the lair with the location of a Crow Baron. The barons that Uldren wanted killed. He even found the location of Uldiks, who was in the Prison of Elders.

"All leave but Hiraks," Fikrul said as he gave each baron their orders.

Hiraks stepped forward and stared into Fikrul's faceplate.

"There is one more location that you have found. Give it to me and I must keep it secret. I will use it, to show that lightbearer lover, Variks, what it truly means to be Eliksni."

Hiraks pulled a data sphere from the back of his belt, and presented it to Fikrul.

Hiraks spoke in the Hive language, which Fikrul didn't speak, but there was a name that Fikrul was able to make out. A familiar name that flooded his mind with memories. Kaliks Prime.

* * *

THE LAST CITY

THE LAST CITY, EARTH

John, Rian, Joseph, and Jack surrounded one of the Cabal jamming towers.

"Alright, all we have to do is destroy it," Rian said, "nothing complicated."

Squads of Legionaries and Psions surrounded the tower. There was even a Thresher overhead.

"I'll deal with the Thresher," Jack said before running inside a building.

Another squad of six Guardians showed up across from them and began shooting at the Cabal. The Thresher moved to attack them.

"There goes our plan," said John.

"Alright, idea," Rian began, shouting to Joseph over gun fire, "while the Cabal are distracted, you go in and plant a bomb at the base of the tower. And remember to look at the explosion this time."

"Will do," Joseph said before running off to the tower.

_Hopefully these Cabal stay distracted. _John watched as the other Guardian team tore through the Cabal, but the Thresher had them pinned down.

"I have eyes on the Thresher," Jack said over comms.

John watched as three rockets impacted the Thresher in the side. It began blowing up from the inside and crashed into a building. A Legionary looked toward where Joseph was setting the charge and John quickly shot it in the head.

Joseph gave a thumbs up and sprinted back to cover with John and Rian.

"First tower is down where's that second?" Cayde's voice rang into John's ears.

John shot the charge and the base of the tower exploded. The explosion covered all of the Cabal in fire, and it fell over.

"Woo! Eat that Gary! Both towers are down!" Cayde yelled over comms.

A Guardian from the other team gave John and Rian's team a thumbs up. When one of the other Guardians tried to run over to them, a bolt of void energy seared through their head.

"Alright, what was that?" John asked, concerned.

"I see something John," Jack called John, "Four arms, four blue eyes, definitely Fallen. But it's all pale and skinny. Woah!"

Jack ducked as a bolt flew right over his head.

"Uh, Rian?" John asked next to him.

"Yeah?" Rian responded.

"Pale skinny Fallen. Sound familiar?"

"Oh no. The undead guys from the Reef?"

"Yep. They've somehow made it to Earth."

John poked his scout rifle over the corner of the building he was hiding behind. He could barely see the Eliksni, but he fired.

* * *

Pirrha ducked as bullets flew past him. Whoever was shooting had terrible aim, or they were trying to distract him. Pirrha went with the latter and put all his focus into killing these Guardians.

He saw the Guardian at the top of the building again, but a bullet hit him in his arm, and threw off his aim.

"Araskes I need your holograms," Pirrha called into his communicator.

A hologram of a Guardian ship appeared in the distance. It neared, and then stopped above the Guardians that were in hiding.

* * *

"Reinforcements!" Joseph yelled as a Guardian ship appeared above the battlefield.

Joseph ran out to lead to reinforcements to cover, but no Guardians dropped from the ship. But something did drop from it. A bunch of weird, pale, and mutated Eliksni fell out of the bottom.

"Oh what the!" Joseph yelled as he slung his machine gun on his back.

He pulled out his shotgun and blasted the head off the first Eliksni. Dark blue Ether instead of white Ether sprayed out of its neck.

He watched John and Rian each shoot two, so he shot two more. He let Rian kill the last enemy. Joseph started reloading his shotgun until he heard a noise from behind him. The Eliksni that he shot the head off of stood back up.

"Ah! Zombies!" he shot the Eliksni in the chest and it crumpled over. He turned around to see John and Rian laughing, "what, have you fought these things before?"

"Uh, yeah actually. The Tangled Shore on the Reef is full of them." Rian explained.

The three Guardians ran through an alleyway to see if they could find a way behind this sniper that kept killing Guardians. Jack stayed behind to try and distract him. They took a left turn and saw the open street.

"I'm the fastest here, I'm gonna sprint across," John said.

"No I'm the fasted," Rian argued.

"There is no time to argue, I just don't want to put your life in danger."

Rian didn't say anything further and John slung his rifle. He backed up a bit, and sprinted as fast as he could across the street. As he was running he looked to his right and saw where the sniper was. He made it safely across without any wounds.

John pulled his rifle back out and turned the corner. He fired as fast as he could. The sniper ducked.

"Come on!" he yelled as he was firing.

He quickly reloaded and went back to firing. John beckoned Joseph towards him and he led him through more alleys. They eventually came up to the street that the sniper was on and they entered the building.

Joseph sprinted up the stairs and arrived on the roof. The sniper turned around and snarled. But instead of firing it yelled something. It sounded like 'Araskes'. The sniper jumped off the building behind him and another undead Eliksni appeared in his place.

This one wasn't carrying a gun, but it kicked Joseph onto the floor. John and Rian arrived behind Joseph and helped him up.

"Araskes!" John yelled.

Araskes simply laughed and swung her lower arms. They had blades attached to them. John ducked under the swing and shot at her head. Jack fired a rocket from down the street, and it hit her in the back.

Araskes stumbled forward, and tried to crush John under her feet. Rian pulled her fusion rifle from her back. She charged it, and it fired at Araskes, burning her skin. She sneered, and swung with her lower arms again.

John got hit in the chest by one of Araskes' arm blades, and he fell backwards. Rian avoided the blow and fired another burst from her fusion rifle. Araskes stopped herself from falling backwards and slammed her fist into the ground, causing Rian to fly back.

Joseph was back up and running, but Araskes swung her lower arm, and stabbed him through the chest with the blade. She held him up in the air with the blade stuck through his chest like a trophy.

"Joseph!" John yelled.

John got up and ran forward. He dodged a blow from one of her lower arms, and jumped onto the arm that held Joe. He pulled Joe off her arm while she tried to shake him off. He persisted. He grabbed onto her back and began to pull at her neck.

Araskes screamed and choked, and a rocket from Jack hit her square in the chest. John jumped off Araskes before she fell. When she finally fell over the ceiling of the building collapsed, causing everyone to fall to the ground floor.

John coughed up dust.

"Rian?" he called.

"Here!" Rian yelled back.

"Joe?"

"Here," Joseph was not as loud.

Moira healed him as he stood up. He searched the room for Joseph, he knew Rian was okay. He found Joseph's body underneath a large piece of the ceiling. He tried lifting up the huge piece but it was too much for him.

Suddenly the huge piece of debris lifted up, and Joe rose from underneath it, holding the debris. _Titans._ Rian showed up at his side a minute later, and all three ran out of the building.

Rian called her ship from orbit, and it showed up above them a minute later.

"Gariks?" she asked her Ghost.

"Ready," Gariks' voice responded.

Gariks and the Heavy Shank materialized onto a crossing on the road. Gariks hit a light on the front of the Shank and it began to rise.

"What the hell?" a familiar voice sounded from the Shank.

"Heft!"


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

THE LAST CITY

THE LAST CITY, EARTH

Heft floated around clumsily and spun. _Where the hell am I? Who the hell am I? _He thought. He could still remember his life as a Titan, but he didn't know what he was at that moment.

"Woah! Dude calm down!" John exclaimed.

Heft stopped moving. He couldn't feel his legs, and when he looked down he saw a large blue, bulbous, piece of metal. He guessed he wasn't even in his own body.

"John?" he asked.

"Gariks transferred your mind into another body to keep you from dying," John explained, "no idea how, the Fallen are magic or something."

Heft concentrated his mind on something, but he couldn't tell what. Suddenly he heard a loud clicking sound for a second, and the sound of moving metal.

"Damn Gariks, what kind of Heavy Shank did you buy?" John asked.

"What do you mean, what is going on?" Heft asked, panicked.

Gariks simply let out a laugh. Suddenly in front of his 'eyes', void rounds shot out from his sides at a speed Heft had never seen before. He accidentally tore the wall off a building in front of him.

"Oh crap!" Heft laughed, "I could get use to this!"

"Guardians, come in," Heft heard Cayde-6's voice crackle over comms.

"Cayde?" John asked, "you're contacting us directly?"

"Uh, yeah. I've been watching you. Still am. Nice Shank."

"Uh, thanks?"

"Yeah, anyways. I noticed you fighting Fallen? Or something? I also saw a Skiff flying around. Any idea what's going on?"

"There's some undead Fallen running around on the Reef, and somehow they made it here, no idea how or why."

Cayde didn't respond and he heard multiple gunshots coming from his end. The fighting around Rian's team had died down while the Guardians moved further into the city, so he had no idea where Cayde could be watching them from. The shooting stopped a few seconds later.

"Okay, uh, gotta go," Cayde said, "once the fighting is over meet me in the old tower, by the ramen shop. I'm interested in what you've got going on, but like I said, gotta go."

The transmission suddenly cut, and a Harvester appeared in the air above the Guardians.

"Damn!" John exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I got it!" Heft yelled.

He turned his new body up towards the Harvester and fired the void cannons. They tore through the Harvester's wing and sliced it clean off. However the Harvester wasn't there for them, it continued and crashed into the ground.

Jack, who had jumped toward Rian and her crew from his building, looked through the scope of a sniper rifle. A Guardian appeared on a building next to the crashed Harvester.

"I don't think that was Cabal," Jack said.

"Huh," Heft responded.

Heft was able to use his new body to zoom in, and it could see far. He saw the Guardian jump down from the building, but before they disappeared, they quickly moved back up. They were surrounded by an aura of light. _Oh! It's that one Guardian that got their light back!_

"We're no use out here guys, let's get farther in," John said.

He then disappeared underneath Rian's ship, and everyone else followed.

* * *

The ship arrived at a large plaza in front of a tall three-story building. Guardians were pinned on one side of the plaza as Cabal advanced from the other side.

"I'll go with Heft," Rian called to John, who was piloting the ship, "you fly and give us air support."

John nodded and Rian disappeared into the transmat room.

Underneath the ship, Heft's large, heavy shank body appeared. Rian appeared next to it a second later. Heft charged his repeating void cannons and rapidly fired into a small squad of Legionaries. Their armour tore apart and they dissolved into void energy.

Rian rolled to her right and took cover behind a burnt tree. Multiple shots from a Phalanx's rifle tore through the remaining bark, and she ducked. Before she could fire her rifle at the Phalanx, Heft turned towards it and blasted it with his cannons.

She nodded and looked back at the pinned Guardians. They loaded their weapons and leaped over the covers they hid behind. Together the Guardians took down three Centurions and almost twenty Legionaries.

The fight wasn't over yet though. Three Harvesters flew over the plaza. John swooped in and tore one in half. The second dropped eight Legionaries, and a Colossus. The third dropped a mix of Legionaries, Phalanxes, Psions, and a Centurion.

"Great," Rian said under her breath.

She turned from her cover to see a Hunter fly back. He let out a yelp when he hit the ground. She saw a Centurion with a projection rifle, and she immediately opened fire. After a few seconds of sustained fire, the Centurion's shields dropped. It fired a single round that Rian was able to dodge, then she fired at its hand and caused it to drop the weapon. She finished it off with a burst to the head.

As the Centurion fell in front of her, a group of Legionaries marched up. Two shots from a slug rifle tore through her robes and armour. She stumbled forward, and rolled to her side. She saw behind her the wounded Hunter raise his pistol and hastily shoot each Legionary in the head.

Each Guardian had their Ghosts heal them.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem, you too," he said, standing up.

Rian started to run forward, but Heft suddenly strafed to the side almost causing her to run into him. Then she saw the Colossus raise his fist into the air, and a small salvo of missiles shot out of its back.

Heft shot a few metres into the air, and strafed to his side again, dodging the missiles. They then turned and began tracking all of the Guardians that were in the plaza. Three hit a Warlock, killing her. One hit the Hunter Rian saved from the Centurion, but he didn't die.

Rian turned around as a rocket impacted her. She fell backwards, and dropped her rifle. It hadn't hurt nearly as much as she expected, but she couldn't move at all. Her vision was almost completely clouded as well.

As her vision cleared she saw Heft battling the Colossus. His void cannons retracted into the sides of his chassis, and two scorch cannons extended from the bottom.

One cannon shot, and then the other. She had never seen scorch cannons fire so fast. The blasts from the cannons impacted the Colossus, and burned its armour. Heft continued to circle it as he fired.

The Colossus charged its heavy slug thrower and rapidly fired at Heft's chassis. Most of the shots missed, but a handful of them impacted the metal, leaving holes. Heft shot up again and flew farther back.

The scorch cannons retracted into the chassis, and a large, modified, wire rifle extended from the top. It charged for a few seconds longer than a wire rifle usually does, and it fired. The shot burned through the Colossus's helmet and instantly killed it.

Rian stood up as the Colossus fell, and she grabbed her rifle from the ground. All the Guardians in the plaza finished off the Cabal and they began to group up at the centre. Rian and Heft went towards them as John stopped her ship above the plaza.

"I think we're doing good," she overheard a Titan.

"Did you hear Cayde got his arm shot off?" a Hunter said.

"He'll be fine. What's important though is that we got a Guardian into Ghaul's ship," the Titan said.

"I guess this is all going to plan," Rian said to Heft.

"Yeah I still don't know what the hell is going on," Heft responded.

After Heft spoke, all of the Guardians turned towards him.

"Did that shank just speak?" a Warlock asked.

"The hell are you doing with a shank anyway?" the Hunter asked Rian.

"It's a really long story," Rian explained, "but basically an Exo friend of mine died, then I had another friend of mine take his memory crystal and build it into a S.A.B.E.R prototype."

Everyone nodded, but the Titan spoke up.

"That sounds awesome," he said.

Rian's Ghost appeared in the air in front of her, she started transmitting from Jack's Ghost.

"From up here it looks like we pushed the Cabal back to their ships," Rian heard Jack's voice, "no idea how we are doing this, but I'm not complaining that we're winning."

The ship then lowered into the plaza as the rest of the Guardians dispersed and entered their own ships. Rian and Heft transmatted into Rian's ship, and John took off.

"Jack's right, look," John said, enhancing the view from the ship's windows.

Every single Cabal unit left in the city was crowded underneath their fleet.

"This is it Guardians!" Cayde's voice crackled over the radio speakers in Rian's ship, "the final stretch-"

His voice suddenly cut off. A bright yellow glow appeared above the Red Legion's capital ship, and a huge figure made of pure light rose into the sky.

"Uh, this means we're screwed right?" Joe asked, holding tightly onto his chair as the ship shook.

Rian could just see that the huge figure was in fact a Cabal. Not just any Cabal, but Dominus Ghaul, their leader. He grew to a massive size, and wings appeared on his back.

"Traveller," Ghaul said, it was so loud that Rian and her crew could hear it like he was inside their ship, "do you see me now?"

Ghaul raised his arms into the sky. Rian thought the battle was going well, they pushed the Red Legion far back to a single point, but then this happened. She was not expecting this at all, but she was even less expecting what happened next.


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

HIGH PLAINS

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

The fighter flew back over the shore, this time heading well past the crashed Ketch. The ship turned a full ninety-degrees to its left and landed on a large flat rock that was tied to the rest of the Shore by wires and tubes. In the distance they were able to see a crashed Hive Warship.

The three Awoken exited the ship, and Seja took a step forward as it flew away. Ahead of them was the hut that Uldiks had mentioned before. The entire rock was devoid of any life let alone the Scorn, but Uldiks didn't lie to them about the Ketch, why would he lie to them about the hut?

Or maybe Uldren just hadn't decided to use it yet.

"I'm not seeing any bad guys here," Shur said.

"Keep on high alert, they can teleport remember?" Seja said.

Shur nodded and raised her rifle.

The hut wasn't very large, and it was circular in shape. Seja walked up to the entrance and deployed Green to open the door. Before he opened the door, he did a quick scan of the area.

"I'm not detecting anyone near us," he said, "strange."

He quickly zapped at the control panel next to the door, and it opened.

"No idea how far Scorn can teleport, but this has to be a trap," Seja said before entering.

Shur volunteered to stay outside and keep watch while Ira and Seja went inside. They entered a small hallway that went all the way around the hut. There was nothing in the hall, but there was another door in front of them that lead inside.

Green opened the next door and they entered the small room. It was circular with a platform in the middle, and there was a small terminal in the middle of the platform.

"Yep. This is a trap," Seja said.

Seja motioned for Ira to stay where she was as she approached the terminal. She held out her palm and Green appeared above it.

"Access this terminal but be as discreet as you can," Seja said quietly.

"Right," Green responded.

Green scanned the terminal and then zapped at it for a few minutes. As he continued to work on accessing it he spoke to Seja.

"Uldren and the Scorn were in fact here recently," he stated, "but they all left. After the whole battle at the Ketch they knew Uldiks had leaked information. They knew you would be coming here next and set multiple alarms in the system. Luckily for us, they don't understand Ghosts."

"Can you figure out what they're going to be doing next?" Seja asked.

"Uldren and the Scorn's leader, Fikrul, apparently are going on their own journey to find a Servitor or something, all this information is very vague. The rest of the barons are leading their own armies to… hunt down Uldiks' barons."

"He's not gonna be happy about that."

When Green was finished with the console and returned to Seja. Seja and Ira exited the hut to meet up with Shur.

"What did you find?" Shur asked.

"The Scorn are going after Uldiks' barons, while their leader is looking for a Servitor," Seja explained.

"Uldiks isn't going to be happy about that."

"No he isn't, we have to get back to him quickly and-"

Before Seja could finish speaking, a familiar voice crackled over her communications.

"Hellooo dead thing," said Fikrul, "thought I missed you? Thought I didn't know you would come here?"

Seja raised her rifle as a large fount of dark ether formed in front of the hut.

"Damnit!" Seja cursed.

The fount disappeared, leaving Fikrul floating in the air. He reached up and his staff appeared in his hand before he crashed down onto the surface of the rock, jamming the staff into the ground.

He stood up and raised the staff once more.

"Death is your shield," he said before more founts appeared around the rock, "but it is _my _sword."

Scorn began swarming the rock as Fikrul fired a bolt of electricity out of his staff, impacting Seja in the stomach and causing her to fly back.

Fikrul jumped backwards and landed at the top of the hut as Seja stood up. Hordes of Scorn began swarming the rock. Shur started unloading a full magazine from her auto rifle into a group of Scorn, ending them quickly.

"Hold them off!" Seja yelled over the gunfire, "Fikrul is mine!"

Seja aimed her hand cannon Fikrul's head and fired two quick shots before more electricity formed at the tip of his staff. Seja rolled to the side and avoided the first blast, but the second hit her in the chest. This time she didn't fall back, she continued to run towards him.

As the Scorn got closer to Shur she ducked under their swings. She grabbed the arm of a Scorn, and stabbed another with its club. Ira, was holding the Scorn off well.

Seja ran past a squad of Scorn, stabbing two with her knife as she passed. As another approached, she jammed her knife through it's skull, blowing it's head open and allowing dark ether to spray into the air.

She looked up and saw Fikrul preparing to fire once more. She fired as many shots from her hand cannon as she could before he fired, knocking her back once more. She quickly stood back up before the Scorn could surround her.

"Did you forget who I am?" Fikrul's voice rang out around the rock, "I control death! Your efforts are in vain!"

Fikrul raised his left arm and dark Ether began flowing out from his body. The Ether surrounded all of the dead Scorn and they began to rise once more, even more deformed than when they died.

Seja threw a grenade at the top of the hut, and Fikrul stumbled back as it exploded.

"Green when is the ship getting here!?" Seja yelled as more Scorn began to surround her.

"Look up!" Green shouted back.

As if Seja said the magic word, the ship appeared above the rock. It strafed around the rock and shot missiles at the hordes of Scorn, taking them off of Ira and Shur's hands.

"I will not be defeated so easily," Fikrul shouted, jamming his staff into the roof of the hut, "but you will."

When he jammed the staff into the hut a purple shield appeared around him. He jumped down from the building, causing the entire rock to shake. The ship fired missiles at Fikrul, none of them leaving any marks, and he was completely unfazed.

He walked up to Seja and kicked her to the ground. He then picked her up by the neck with his left hand and had her stare into the faceplate of the helmet that covered his eyes.

"You have died before but came back," he said, tightening his grip so she could barely breathe, "you will not come back this time."

THE LAST CITY

THE LAST CITY, EARTH

Rian and her crew watched like it was their last moments on Earth. But they were all but defeated.

Ghaul called upon the Traveller.

"I am worthy of your light!" he called, "Traveller. Do you see me now?"

No one had expected what happened next. A blue light appeared through the black cage that covered the Traveller's surface. Ghaul raised his hand, covering his face from the blinding light.

"You do see me," he said.

Blue cracks formed around the light in the cage, and the tethers coming from the ship that formed the cage snapped. The star-shaped ship fell, crushing buildings and Cabal alike as black pieces of the cage fell apart.

"No!" Ghaul yelled as the light from the Traveller dissolved him.

The Traveller turned completely blue and a huge pulse of light shot out of it. The pulse of light whizzed past all the Guardians aboard Rian's ship.

"The light!" Rian exclaimed, "it's back!"

All of the Guardians on the ship were surrounded by a blue aura. When losing the light burned, regaining it felt like stepping out into the winter for the first time. It felt like a wave of cold hitting her skin.

As the light washed over the Earth, the Red Legion ships began to leave the city.

"Did we just win?" John asked.

"Yes," Rian stood up, "we won."

The two held each other and kissed. Moira appeared next to John as communications opened to all Guardians in the city.

"Guardians, this is Commander Zavala," Zavala's voice rang out in the ship's cockpit, "the Red Legion is in full retreat, and the Traveller has awakened. This… this is a lot to unpack. I'm setting up a rally point for all Guardians to meet up, this place will serve as the new Tower."

Guardian ships began floating up from the city and flying to the rally point Zavala had set.

"Welcome home Guardians," Zavala said before communications closed.

Rian sat down in the pilot seat and followed the other ships.

The city was now free from the Cabal, and the Guardians had their light back. And for the first time in centuries, the Traveller was awake. It was a good time for all.

HIGH PLAINS

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

Fikrul hurled Seja into the side of the hut with his full strength, breaking the bones in her back. She screamed on impact.

Shur ran up to him with a sword in her hands. She swung, but the blade lazily bounced off his shield. He picked her up with his lower hand and flung her to the side.

"No longer will you be a dead thing," he said, approaching Seja and raising his staff, "from now on, you will only be dead."

Ira shot a rocket from her rocket launcher at him, only distracting him for a quick second. He charged his staff and fired a single shot from it, knocking Ira out.

He grabbed Seja by her neck again.

"Any last words?" he asked.

"You can kill me…" she started, struggling to speak, "but you'll never destroy me. And I don't die so easily…"

"Ha, we shall see about that!"

He pulled his staff back and jammed it through her stomach, pinning her to the side of the hut. He pulled the staff back out, causing her limp body to fall the the ground.

"Seja!" Shur screamed.

Fikrul then turned his attention toward her, leaving Seja to bleed out. He walked towards Shur, causing her to panic and crawl backwards. But suddenly a wave of light pulsed past the rock, knocking Fikrul to the ground, and collapsing his shield.

_I knew I wouldn't go down this way,_ Seja thought to herself. Seja's vision then quickly faded to black, but then she stood back up. Her body and armour was unscathed, and she could feel energy coursing through her veins. _The light has returned._

"Not today Fikrul!" She shouted.

Fikrul stood back up and turned around.

"As if time is against me…" he said.

Seja focused her mind, and a flaming pistol appeared in her hands. She fired it three times into Fikrul's faceplate, causing part of it to burn away. He stumbled back and looked at Seja. This time he could see two of his faded blue eyes.

"As you said, I don't die so easily," he said, "this will not be the last you see of me."

Ira fired another rocket, and Fikrul disappeared into a cloud of dark blue and purple corrupted ether. The rocket whizzed past where Fikrul once stood.

Seja ran up to Shur.

"You hurt?" Seja asked.

"Just a little bruised," Shur said.

Seja helped her up and Ira ran up to the two.

"That timing was impeccable!" Ira exclaimed.

"I have no idea how that happened, but it happened," Seja said, at a loss for words.

The three walked back to the ship and entered. Not only had Seja regained her light, but they figured out what the Scorn are currently after.

TOWER NORTH

THE TOWER, THE LAST CITY

It was a cold night, just a few days after the Traveller had reawakened. Cayde had slipped away undetected, and had another Exo who looked just like him take his place. The old Tower was in ruins, there was garbage and debris all over the floor in the North Tower.

He leaned on the ramen shop's counter.

"Hey Sundance," he called to his Ghost, who appeared next to them, "contact Petra Venj."

He was waiting for a team of Guardians to arrive so he could speak to them privately, but since they hadn't arrived yet, he might as well get some intel.

"Cayde?" Petra's voice rang into his audio-receptors.

"Hey P.V, how have you been?" he asked.

"Actually really good, how are you?"

"I'm good, we just recently took the city back."

"Yeah, I felt the light all the way over here."

Cayde heard the sound of a ship whizzing past in the distance, but he couldn't tell who it was. He had to get to the point so he could actually have something to talk about when the Guardians arrived.

"I get the feeling you didn't call to ask how I'm doing," Petra said.

"Yeah, so I heard about some trouble you've been having on the Reef," Cayde replied.

Petra went quiet for a few long seconds, and then she spoke again, quieter this time.

"What do you know about the Scorn?" she asked.

"Nothing, that's why I'm calling you," he answered.

"Well, to start off they're undead Fallen, and we just recently figured out what they're after."

"I'm assembling a team of Guardians, and some of their colleagues, I need to know everything that you know."

"They're lead by a fanatic, his name is Fikrul. He's able to use his dark Ether powers to resurrect dead Fallen. His barons are out to hunt the barons of Uldren's old house, the house of Crows."

Cayde nodded. _Uldren. _

"So they lookin' for Uldren?" Cayde asked.

"Actually no, intelligence suggests Uldren is their leader," Petra responded.

"Huh. Well, that's interesting. What are he and Fikrul after?"

"All we know is that they are looking for a Servitor. I don't know which Servitor, or why it is so important, but we can't let them accomplish any of their tasks."

"I hear you."

"So you said you are assembling a team right?"

"Affirmative."

"I know some people who can help, go to Quitter's Well in the High Plains as soon as you can."

"Got it."

The channel closed as soon as Cayde heard a ship approach the tower. _Perfect timing._ He looked behind him and saw a blocky, red, ship slowly approach the landing area behind the North Tower.

Four Guardians and an Eliksni appeared underneath it, and then it flew away.

"Guardians!" Cayed called, standing straight, "you're late!"

"Yeah you really didn't specify a time," said the Warlock in the lead.

"Oh, left that part out didn't I? Anyways, before we do anything I think we should all introduce ourselves, I am the highly critically acclaimed Cayde-6, and I will be leading this operation."

The lead Warlock stepped forward and took off her helmet. The others did the same.

"My name is Rian," she said, "and I would say I lead these people, but I only call them my crew because that's my ship."

"I'm John," said the other Human Warlock.

"Jack," said the Exo Warlock.

"Joe," said the Titan.

"The Eliksni is Gariks," Rian said, "he doesn't talk much."

Gariks nodded.

"Where'd you find him?" Cayde asked.

"EDZ," Rian explained, "right under the shard of the Traveller. His Captains were abusing him so we saved him."

Cayde nodded.

"We have two more on our ship," Rian continued, "Hegiks, a Servitor, and Heft, a Heavy Shank."

"So the Shank's name is Heft?" Cayde asked.

Rian nodded.

"Not completely sure why you would name a Shank," Cayde said, "but you do you. Anyways, before you arrived I was talking to Petra Venj. She said she is going to set up a meeting between some of her operatives and us, so we gotta meet them at the Shore."

The Guardians nodded.

"They're going to meet us in the Fallen camps in the High Plains," Cayde continued, "we'll discuss the rest of the details when we get there. And last, but certainly not least… last one there has to drink Vex milk for a day."

Before anyone could say anything he disappeared into his ship, and immediately took control of it. Once he made it out of Earth's orbit he jumped to the Reef.

HIGH PLAINS

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

Rian flew the ship over the rocks of the High Plains as fast as she could. She knew Cayde was joking, but at the same time she had no intention of making it there last.

She spotted the Fallen camps and flew towards them.

"Ha, Cayde's ship is behind us," John said, looking out one of the viewports.

Rian stopped the ship above the abandoned tents, and let Hegiks take over. All the Guardians dropped out of the ship with Gariks. It was about a full minute before Cayde appeared behind them.

"Shouldn't have made that bet," Rian said as he approached.

"Oh come on," Cayde complained, "I was totally here before you guys."

"When we get back to the Tower I am going to watch you drink that Vex milk."

Cayde looked down and scratched the back of his head. The High Plains were silent.

"So what now?" Joe asked.

"I suppose we wait," Rian answered.

They waited for a few minutes until a silent 'Hey' broke the silence. They turned to their left and saw two Awoken in heavy, silver Corsair armour following a Guardian. The Guardian wore wore silver, lavender, and pink shiny armour. Her cloak was dark purple.

"Seja?" John asked.

Seja pushed back the hood on her helmet, and took it off. She clipped the helmet to the side of her belt.

"John!" she exclaimed as the two ran up to each other to share a friendly hug.

They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and no matter how much Seja liked working with Ira and Shur, she missed her old Guardian fireteam.

"Where's Heft? And who is she?" Seja asked pointing to Rian.

"Heft is on the ship and her name is Rian," John explained, and then he whispered "she's my girlfriend."

Seja smiled and held out her hand. Rian smiled back and shook it.

"Any friend of John's is a friend of mine," Seja smiled.

"Ahem," Cayde interrupted.

"Cayde?" Seja asked, wondering what he was doing there.

She hadn't been in the city for years, but she was there when Andal Braask died and Cayde took his place as Hunter Vanguard. She only knew him for a short time, and doubted he remembered her.

"We don't exactly have the time to catch up here and now," Cayde explained, "we gotta stop the Scorn."

Seja nodded and started explaining their task.

"Each Scorn baron is going after their own Crow baron," Seja explained, "with the exception of Fikrul going somewhere with Uldren, and Pirrha working with Araskes. So far only one of the barons has made a move, and that is Yaviks. As for a bit of quick intel, she leads a gang of pikes. She and her gang of pikes is somewhere in the Ishtar Sink on Venus.

"Yaviks is looking for Diskar. According to the intel from Uldiks, Diskar is half Eliksni, half Vex. He most likely isn't going to appreciate us saving him, so if it comes to it, we'll have to eliminate him. Hopefully it doesn't come to that with the other Crow barons. Any questions?"

Cayde raised his hand and Seja pointed at him.

"So, the Scorn are undead Fallen right?" Cayde asked.

Seja nodded.

"So if we kill them, they will just keep coming back," he continued, "what do you suggest we do?"

"Variks already has some cells reserved for them in the Prison of Elders," Seja explained.

Cayde stood straight up and put his hands on his hips.

"Courtesy of me," he said.

"Wait, so you asked what we're going to do since we can't kill them," Seja started, "but you already had plans for what we're going to do?"

"Just had to flex on you all for thinking ahead."

_Oh boy, this is going to be fun, _Rian thought as the two Hunters spoke.

"Any more questions?" Seja asked.

The Guardians shook their heads.

"All right," Seja started, "Green will send the coordinates where we will meet to your Ghosts, let's head to Venus!"


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

HEADLANDS

ISHTAR SINK, VENUS

Three ships flew over the mountainous and toxic terrain of Venus. Even after the Traveller's terraforming, certain areas of Venus were still dangerous.

As Rian's ship flew over a short mountain a large blocky structure came into view. It was a Vex structure that was made up of many cubes and rectangular prisms, each a different size. It had to be hundreds of metres tall.

Some of the floating cubes around the huge tower moved, and large bolts of electricity periodically shot out from it.

"I haven't been to Venus in a long time," Rian explained, "and I haven't even seen the Citadel in person before."

The ship set down in an open area of the Headlands, and the Guardians exited the ship. Above them, Seja and Cayde's ships flew past, dropping them next.

"Even though I am obviously the best pick for a leader," Cayde said, "and personally I would chose me, you're the leader Seja."

"Right," she said, looking at a data pad, "Vex activity is increasing at a heavy rate near here and the Shattered Coast. The Scorn are definitely already here."

"Or they're here for us," Rian said as they heard a noise coming from in front of them.

Seja looked up. A large pulsating ball of electricity appeared in front of them, and it began emanating heavy amounts of dark blue smoke. The ball disappeared after a few seconds, and red eyes appeared through the smoke.

"Like they can handle six Guardians," Seja said.

"Why don't we let Heft take care of them," John suggested.

"Good idea," Rian said.

The smoke disappeared and the tall, thin structures of Vex Goblins stepped forward.

The front of their heads were angular while the back was curved. They had a single read eye in the centre of their heads. Underneath the plating on their chests was a white box full of the radiolaria that powered the Vex.

"Heft? It's time!" Rian called into her Ghost.

The Heavy Shank appeared in front of the group.

"About time!" he shouted, deploying the void cannons from his sides.

All of the Goblins fixated on Heft and began firing with their rifles, only leaving barely noticeable scorch marks. The void cannons rotated and fired at an extreme rate, tearing the white, liquid mind cores of the Vex in half.

The ground in front of them was littered with the limbs of dead Vex, and pools of radiolaria that splashed on the ground when they died.

"That's Heft?" Seja asked.

"Yeah, uh, he kind of died," John explained.

"Kind of?"

Heft turned around and noticed Seja.

"Seja!?" he exclaimed, "holy hell you're alive!"

"Again, we can get caught up later," Cayde said, "remember we're here for the Scorn."

Seja nodded. All of the Guardians deployed their Sparrows onto the ground. Shur and Ira returned to the ship to fly it, and Heft lifted up into the air. Seja boosted forward first, taking the lead while the other Guardians followed her.

As they all turned a corner, ruined human buildings came into view. Suddenly the sounds of Vex and Scorn weapon fire came into earshot. The Scorn were already there.

They turned another corner and ran right into the middle of a firefight between the Vex and the Scorn. Endless battle lines of Vex Goblins marched forward to the Guardian's left, and Scorn were taking cover in a ruined building to their right.

"Heft, John, and Rian take care of the Vex," Seja ordered, "me, Cayde, Joe, and Jack will deal with these Scorn."

All of the Guardians hopped off their sparrows in unison. Joseph and Jack fist bumped and drew their rifles. Seja nodded to Cayde, and they drew their weapons.

Cayde stylishly spun his hand-cannon in his hand and shot a Scorn in the head. They took their attention of the Vex and focused on the Guardians. Jack jumped into the air, and arc energy began to surround him. The ground underneath him exploded into arc energy, and he began to float above the rocks.

His body was pulsing with arc energy as he floated forward and shot lightning out of the palms of his hands. The Scorn were quickly disintegrated. They then turned towards the legions of Vex that were marching toward them.

The Awoken's ship floated next to the cliffs of the shattered coast, and shot its weapons at the Vex, tearing them apart with ease.

"Nice!" Seja called to the ship.

As the ship began to fly back to a safe area, a fount of dark Ether appeared in front of them. It was big. Everyone simultaneously drew their weapons. The fount disappeared and it spawned a Scorn riding a large pike.

The Scorn had a helmet that looked just like any other Scorn helmet, but it was much taller. It covered the Scorn's eyes, but not her mouth. The pike itself seemed to be a heavily modified heavy pike. It had spikes on the back, and heavier guns on the front.

"That's our target," Seja stated.

Yaviks snarled and boosted the pike forward into the group of Guardians. A wide wave of fire shot out from the front of the pike as it boosted. Everyone was able to jump out of the way in time, but Jack got caught. The pike flung him about four metres back from where he was standing.

"Jack!" Joseph shouted.

Jack stood up and clutched his burning armour. He stretched his arms and then gave them a thumbs up.

Two more Scorn pikes appeared by them, but instead of following Yaviks, they shot at the Guardians. Jack pulled out his rocket launcher and fired a rocket at a pike, destroying it instantly.

Seja fired a shot from her hand cannon and killed the driver of the second pike. None of the Guardians were hit.

As the Guardians destroyed the last Scorn Cayde had an idea. He wasn't speaking because he was thinking.

He pulled out his Ghost and opened a channel to Gariks on Rian's ship.

"Hey, Gariks?" he said.

"Cayde," Gariks responded.

"Can you track Yaviks, I have an idea."

"Cayde?" Seja asked.

"I just thought of an amazing idea that no one else could have ever thought of," he said.

"What is it?"

"Oh, you'll see," he said with a grin.

"Found her," Gariks' voice sounded.

"Alright, everyone set traps around the Headlands, I'll be back," Cayde said hastily before he disappeared into his ship.

* * *

Yaviks was outside the Vex Citadel, so that must be where Diskar was hiding. He flew his ship the short distance from the Shattered Coast to the Citadel, and sure enough the Scorn were battling the Vex there.

They were slowly making their way up the steps to the entrance, and Yaviks was riding around crashing into Vex Minotaurs.

Cayde's ship flew over the battle, and dropped him just behind the Scorn. He jumped forward and threw a knife into the back of a Scorn, causing it to fall backwards. He shot the next one in the head and it exploded.

Suddenly he saw Yaviks out of the corner of his eye, and quickly turned. She was being escorted by two more Scorn pikes. She quickly stopped the pike and turned towards Cayde. She said something in Eliksni that Cayde didn't understand.

"Well Yaviks," Cayde started, "my Eliksni is pretty rusty, so I'm just going to assume you know what I'm saying. I challenge you... to a race."

Yaviks leaned forward and snarled. She boosted forward, trying to catch and kill Cayde, but he rolled to the side. He blew the head off a Scorn riding a pike with a throwing knife, and quickly hopped on the pike.

This Scorn pike was much different from the normal Fallen pikes. Instead of firing fast, bolts of arc, it fired shards of void energy. And when the pike's boost function was used it left a trail of burning fire behind.

Yaviks turned around and looked at him. He fired the guns on the pike at Yaviks's pike, only leaving faint scorch marks. Yaviks boosted at him again, and he used the pike's thrusters to dodge to the side.

Instead of stopping, Yaviks continued moving. _Oh, it's on! _Cayde boosted his pike after Yaviks, leaving a trail of fire that burned the Scorn he drove past.

Yaviks turned the corner of a Vex ruin, out of Cayde's sight. As soon as he rounded that same corner, he saw Yaviks staring at him. She fired the guns of her pike at Cayde's. Her pike fired slowly, and the shots moved slowly, but they exploded next to him, burning away at the metal.

"Not cool!" he yelled.

He boosted his pike forward and shot at Yaviks, missing her and hitting the front of her pike. She snarled and quickly turned around, driving away from Cayde.

The two entered the area outside of the Ember Caves. They drove past the tall rocks and blue acidic puddles. Yaviks was heading towards the Headlands. _Exactly where I want her to go._

Cayde continued firing at Yaviks, missing most of his shots. Yaviks suddenly dodged to the side, and a mine shot out of the side of her pike. The mine exploded on the front of Cayde's pike, slowing him down and clouding his vision.

Yaviks turned around to fire at Cayde again, and this time dark Ether founts appeared behind her pike. Two more pikes appeared next to her and began firing at Cayde.

He dodged the first shot from Yaviks, but the second hit his pike, damaging it and setting it on fire. The other two pikes boosted forward, attempting to catch Cayde in their burning trails. Rocks exploded all around Cayde from the rounds that Yaviks was shooting at him.

Suddenly, one of the pike drivers disintegrated into arc energy after a shot from a wire rifle hit it. Cayde looked up to the cliffs behind Yaviks to see Gariks wielding a wire rifle. He charged and fired again, this time at Yaviks.

Yaviks took her attention off Cayde, and began shooting at Gariks. Cayde then turned towards the second pike driver and barraged its pike with the guns on his. The enemy pike cracked and exploded, killing the driver.

He turned back towards Yaviks, who was having no luck hitting Gariks. Instead of shooting, he boosted with his pike. He used the pike's thrusters to jump over Yaviks, showering her with flame.  
She screeched and turned her pike back towards the Citadel, and boosted off into the distance. _Okay, this wasn't supposed to happen._ He wasn't going to let her get away, and he charged after her.

He continued to follow her back past the Citadel, where the Vex's literally infinite numbers seemed to be pushing the Scorn back. Again, Yaviks continued past the Citadel, and Cayde kept following her.

Once they were clear of most of the ancient and blocky Vex architecture, they began to enter a lush green forest. The water there was orange rather than blue and green like the water near the Ember Caves.

Yaviks stopped in front of the large Vex structure that was embedded into the side of a mountain, and more dark Ether founts appeared next to her. _I just have to lead her into the Headlands, and this will all be over, _he thought as he continued to drive up to her.

In the distance he saw Rian's ship land Gariks on top of the mountain. He set down with his wire rifle once more and quickly took out the two pikes that just appeared next to her.

Once she saw Cayde driving towards her she fired her pike's weapons again, this time hitting Cayde directly. Cayde quickly jumped off as the shot caused the pike that was already falling apart to finally explode.

He spun his hand-cannon and fired four shots at Yaviks, leaving her unfazed. He quickly ran forward and double-jumped into the air, avoiding the shots that Yaviks shot at him. He jumped a third time before hitting the ground, just to be safe.

He rolled to the side to dodge another shot, and quickly fired a fifth time at Yaviks, causing her to turn around and drive off towards the Ishtar Cliffs. He quickly ran up to one of the unmanned Scorn pikes and followed her.

* * *

THE SHATTERED COAST

ISHTAR SINK, VENUS

"What is taking him so long?" Seja asked.

"Gariks is following him," Rian said, "according to him, Cayde is racing Yaviks."

"So he's trying to lead Yaviks into our traps."

Rian nodded.

All of the Guardians were standing on top of a large hill, looking over the coast. Seja zoomed in with her helmet and saw fire trails in the jungle far beyond. They were approaching the coast.

"I think he's coming, quickly hide!" Seja ordered the Guardians.

She saw Yaviks turn the corner of a ruined building and stop to shoot at Cayde, who was riding his own Scorn pike. _Who else but Cayde?_

Cayde was easily dodging the explosive shots that were fired from Yaviks' pike, and firing back. She could see how close Yaviks' pike was to exploding. The metal was cracked, dented, and some parts were even falling apart.

Yaviks turned around once more and continued towards the Headlands. Seja quickly took cover so no one would be able to see her.

Cayde was catching up to Yaviks fast. She couldn't keep going for much longer, and he assumed she wouldn't even dare to stop again. Only a few more good shots, and her pike was destroyed.

They continued past the entrance to the abandoned Ishtar Academy, and were closing in on the entrance to the Headlands. After she passed a large rock one her side, a mine shot out from the dirt.

Yaviks screeched and the mine exploded. She didn't stop however, but a second mine shot out from the dirt, and exploded underneath her pike, flinging it into the air. Yaviks lost her grip and fell off her pike, landing hard on her back. The pike instantly exploded as it smashed into the ground.

Yaviks cried out and reached forward as debris from the pike scattered across the ground. The rest of the Guardians then jumped down from the hill they were on, all with their weapons trained on Yaviks.

Cayde kicked her onto her stomach, and binded Yaviks's arms.

"Welp, looks like we're all done and dusted here kiddos," Cayde said as he stood up, "ramen's on me."

"Cayde put her on your ship," Seja ordered, "we're going to bring her to the Prison of Elders"

As the Guardians waited for Cayde to transmat Yaviks onto his ship, they heard a loud mechanical roar from behind them. They turned around to see the massive frame of a giant Vex Minotaur.

"Okay maybe we're not done," said Cayde.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

THE HOLLOWED LAIR

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

"It pleases me that you have arrived here, King Uldren," Fikrul said, kneeling as Uldren stepped into the large circular room.

"Yes it is quite nice to be here," Uldren said, looking around the room.

"Father," Fikrul began, "I would be honoured if you would join me on a journey while my siblings handle their own tasks."

Uldren seemed to think about it for a few seconds.

"Tell me more," he finally said.

"I was friends with Warden Variks when I was Fallen," Fikrul started, heavily emphasizing the 'F' in 'Fallen', "we hid the last Prime Servitor together in a group of moons around Jupiter, but since then I have lost the location. Variks gave the location of Kaliks Prime's tracker to Misraaks to keep it safe."

"Misraaks was the Captain of the Duskship we raided right?"

"Yes Father, Hiraks raided the remains of the ship, and found it for me."

Fikrul reached into a pocket on his belt, and presented in front of Uldren. It was a small sphere that had lines all across it, which glowed from purple to blue. Fikrul pressed a button on the front of it, and it opened to reveal a map.

The map showed the Ananke group of moons around Jupiter. On one of the moons, Harpalyke, an image of the front of a Servitor appeared, with the 'Kaliks' written in Eliksni next to it.

"What do you plan to do with it?" Uldren asked.

"Kaliks is the last Prime Servitor alive," Fikrul explained, "even my dark Ether has a limit. Kaliks can give us all the Ether that we need to turn all of the Eliksni to the Scorn. This is our specie's only chance at survival while the lightbearers kill them off."

Uldren thought about the mission more before reaching his decision.

"I'll do it," he said.

"You will?" Fikrul asked for confirmation.

"I will help you find Kaliks."

"Thank you, Father. You have done too much for me, but is there something I can do for you?"

"You're already doing it. Keep playing the game."

* * *

THE SHATTERED COAST

ISHTAR SINK, VENUS

The massive Minotaur that stood before the Guardians was almost tall enough to be a Gate Lord. It's body was a shiny silver, shinier than the rest of the Vex they had fought.

_Come to think of it, the last time I saw a picture of Diskar his Vex limbs were silver, _Seja thought. All of the Guardian's comms opened, and they heard a deep mechanical Eliksni voice. Only Seja fully understood the words without translation. Their Ghosts identified the voice as Hegiks.

"He says that all Scorn forces on the planet are heading to the Shattered Coast," Gariks translated.

"Is that really Diskar?" Seja asked.

Diskar emitted a deep mechanical roar and fire three times with his Torch Hammer. The Guardians scattered.

"What if we use the ships to take him down?" Jack suggested.

"Good idea," Rian replied, calling to Hegiks to bring in their ship.

Blue spheres of electricity formed at Diskar's ankles, and dozens of Goblins stepped out.

"Heft? You know what to do!" John shouted over the firing of Vex weapons.

Rian's ship flew over the Guardians, and fired at Diskar while deploying Heft back into the fight. Heft fired his void cannons into the Goblins, cutting them down with ease while the Guardians fired at Diskar.

Cayde jumped up and reached into the sky. A blinding ball of fire appeared in his hand for a quick second, and then it was replaced by a flaming pistol. He aimed the Golden Gun at Diskar's mind core and fired three times.

Diskar stumbled for a second, and then a protective shield slid over his mind core to protect it. Seja fired multiple shots from her hand cannon only for the bullets to bounce off the shield.

"Aim for his head!" Seja called to the other Guardians.

In the distance behind Diskar the Guardians were able to see the Scorn approaching. They had a few pikes with them as well. More blue spheres appeared around Diskar to drop more Vex soldiers. These Vex turned around and began shooting at the Scorn.

Seja reached towards the sky for her Golden Gun and fired it at Diskar's head. His head exploded into a million pieces, and electricity began pulsing all over his body. He began to shake violently and charged towards the Guardians.

"Yeah, now I think we should run," Cayde said, watching Diskar grow larger as he approached.

Every Guardian turned their back and ran, leading Diskar away from the other Vex that were focused on the Scorn.

"Yaviks is on your ship right?" Seja yelled to Cayde, running away from the large chunks of void that shot out of Diskar's Torch Hammer.

"Don't you know who you're talking to?" Cayde yelled back, jumping over an explosion, "of course I do!"

Diskar suddenly disappeared, and reappeared in front of the Guardians.

"Well, that changes things," Seja sighed.

Once again, all the Guardians raised their weapons at Diskar and fired. More Vex appeared behind him as his chassis was ripped and torn by projectiles. Diskar didn't flinch from any of the fire, and slowly advanced towards the Guardians, slowly leading them back toward the Scorn.

Rian's ship flew past again, firing it's weapons at Diskar's back. The Vex that marched in between Diskar's legs fired at the Guardians. Red particles that looked almost like lasers flew through the air at the Guardians, impacting and dissolving on their shields.

All of the Guardians parted to let Heft float out in front of them. Heft's void cannons charged and fired at the Vex, tearing them in half and spraying radiolaria onto the ground.

"I wish we thought of turning Heft into a Shank sooner," John said over the sound of weapons discharging.

When Rian's ship came around for another strike, Diskar looked up at it. He fired his torch hammer twice at the ship, burning away paint and bits of metal.

"Recall your ship!" Seja yelled to Rian, "you can't let it get destroyed!"

Rian nodded and stopped firing to contact Hegiks. The Guardians continuously backed towards the shattered coast, trying to get away from Diskar and fire at him at the same time.

Rian's ship cut through the sky over the Guardians and fired a missile at Diskar's mind core. The missile hit the core and Diskar buckled over as radiolaria began to pour out of it. The waves of electricity pulsing all over Diskar's body disappeared as he let out a loud mechanical roar. His legs then collapsed and his body hit the ground in a pool of radiolaria.

"Well, that wasn't that hard," said Cayde, "now let's get off this god-forsaken planet, fairly certain that Colonel misses me."

"Colonel?" Rian asked.

"Long story."

Rian's ship settled down behind Diskar's dead frame, and Cayde's ship showed up next to it. Seja's Ceres Galliot circled the Ishtar Sink to route out the remaining Scorn as the rest of the Guardians got into their ships.

"We'll meet up again when the next baron makes their move," Seja said to John before he left for Rian's ship.

The Guardians broke up and headed for their own ships after that. They had to prepare for the battle to come.

* * *

ANANKE GROUP

JUPITER'S MOONS, SOL SYSTEM

A Skiff soared through the emptiness of space in the orbit of Jupiter. On the viewscreen was a group of moons around the gas giant.

"Are we close?" Uldren asked.

Fikrul peered at a screen that displayed the Ananke group moons. He searched for Harpalyke.

"It is near here," he replied.

The Skiff made a quick jump to the other side of the moon in front of them. Way off in the distance was the irregular shape of Harpalyke. Fikrul's eyes lit up and he shifted the Skiff into full gear.

"There Father," Fikrul said, turning to Uldren as the Skiff shot towards the moon.

Uldren looked at Fikrul and gave him a weak smile.

Fikrul pulled the map back into his hand and looked at the Servitor icon, it was moving. Fast. Fikrul didn't know Servitors could move so fast, but it was zooming towards the opposite side of the moon. It knew they were coming.

Fikrul prepared the Skiff for a long range jump, and it appeared above a canyon. On the viewscreen he was able to see a faint purple glow in the darkness. Kaliks could not get away fast enough, and Fikrul moved the Skiff above him.

The jagged, angular plates on Kaliks' shell lifted up a few centimetres from the central ball that the Servitor was made of. Fikrul activated the speakers on his Skiff.

"Kaliks Prime, final Servitor of the Eliksni," Fikrul called.

Kaliks made many deep mechanical noises that resembled the Eliksni language.

"Who are you and why have you come?" Kaliks said, looking up at the Skiff in its battle stance.

"It is me, Fikrul. I have returned to you."

Kaliks' plates lowered a bit, but it still looked wary. Fikrul teleported from the Skiff's cockpit onto the surface of the moon. Fikrul didn't need protection, because the moon had a stable atmosphere like that of Earth. The Traveller's light made the moon's surface livable, but it never fully terraformed it.

"Fikrul," Kaliks said, "you are… different."

"Life among the Awoken has changed me. I am the new evolution of the Eliksni race. Will you not join us Kaliks?"

"No. The Eliksni have fallen too far, and I am the only Prime remaining. I will not sacrifice my will to them again."

"So you are abandoning the Eliksni?"

Fikrul could not believe what he was hearing. The only remaining Prime Servitor has given up on the people who created it. _What will I do now?_

"Please Kaliks," Fikrul pleaded, "we need your help. The Scorn are the next step in the evolution of the Eliksni, the race will survive because of us. All we ask is for your Ether."

"And you expect me to supply your 'Scorn' all on my own?" Kaliks asked.

"We do not require Ether in the same way that the rest of the Eliksni do. It will not be hard on you."

"I have already made my decision."

Fikrul had not expected this answer. He still needed the Ether, the Scorn would not survive long without it. Then he thought about it. Could a Servitor handle his corrupt Ether? How would he convert it?

He had an idea. His Ether was born from the fusion of the Eliksni and the Darkness. He knew that the Hive served the Darkness, and the Hive had the power to take. He didn't know how it worked but he had to try.

"I will be back Kaliks," Fikrul said, slowly backing towards the Skiff, "in case you change your mind."


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

PRISON OF ELDERS

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

A ship arrived early in the morning as Variks walked to processing. The ship dropped off an Eliksni, but it seemed strange. Its skin was pale, small fleshy growths covered its body, and a corrupted form of Ether flowed out of the cracks in its skin.

_What happened to her? _Variks thought. He decided he'd rather study it then keep it in a cell. For now.

"Can you speak?" Variks said through the intercom.

"What would you have me say?" it replied, sounding angry.

Variks recognized the voice, but not the Eliksni herself. _Yaviks, _he thought. Yaviks, the pike obsessed Fallen. He heard that a group of Guardians was going around hunting these strange Eliksni, and bringing them back to the prison.

"Yaviks," Variks said.

"Yeah?" Yaviks responded.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing happened but progress. Fikrul's next step in the evolution of the Eliksni. It will be because of him that we survive as a species. Is that too much for you to understand?"

"Fikrul is behind this?"

Variks and Fikrul were friends before, and for a time after, the Whirlwind. The Whirlwind was the time the Traveler left the Eliksni and allowed them to fall to the Darkness. Before, the Eliksni were a great civilized species, but now they are simple space pirates.

"Of course he is," Yaviks, "he has a vision. He cares for the Eliksni where you do not. Sooner or later you will have to join us."

Variks had had enough. He ordered Yaviks to be sent to a cell deep in the prison where no one would find her. That's where he would put the Eliksni that had followed Fikrul.

* * *

ORBIT

EARTH, SOL SYSTEM

Rian, Cayde, and Seja's ships all hung in low orbit above Earth. Petra had set up a meeting with Levik, another Crow baron. He had decided to meet with the Guardians and Awoken in a place they have never been.

"Any idea where this place is?" Rian asked.

"Seja has the coordinates, just follow her," John responded.

"Picking up movement," Jack said from his seat.

John walked over to Jack and took a look at his screen. An Eliksni Skiff was warping through. Seja's ship began to move when the Skiff stopped above an island on Earth, and Rian followed.

As they flew through the clouds, the island came into view. It wasn't a normal island however.

* * *

EUROPEAN AERIAL ZONE

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

The Skiff stopped above the island. It was a collection of rocks that were floating in the sky, one large, and multiple smaller rocks. On top of the rocks were crumbling and ruined buildings, and some of the buildings had House of Dusk banners covering them.

The Skiff's launch doors opened and ten Crow Dregs dropped out before Levik did. He looked up into the sky and saw three ships approaching.

"There's our visitors," Levik said to the Dregs, "they aren't here to kill us, but keep your weapons up. You can never know what lightbearers attract."

Six Guardians, and one Eliksni materialized under the ships as they flew over. Levik took a good look at the Eliksni and saw that he wore the colours of the House of Crows.

* * *

"Does he speak English?" John asked Seja.

"No," Seja replied, "let Gariks and I do the talking."

Everyone stopped but Seja and Gariks, who walked up to Levik. He was tall, almost as tall as Uldiks. His helmet looked like an enlarged version of the helmet worn by Dregs, and the rest of his armour was random mixed and matched pieces of Vandal and Captain armour. His skin was dark gray, and his eyes were pale blue, indicating he hadn't had any Ether rations in a while.

Gariks took off his helmet, and he and Seja communicated with Levik.

"Getting a communication from someone," Moira said to John.

"Play it," John ordered.

"You're late," the voice was in Eliksni, but Moira translated it. It almost sounded exactly like Levik.

"The Scorn are already here," the voice continued, "stop talking to that imposter."

John closed the communication, and called to Seja.

"Seja get away from him!" he yelled.

Suddenly the Skiff exploded, and founts of corrupted Ether began forming all around the island. Levik faded away into another Eliksni and stood before the Guardians. _Araskes._

Seja dived back and Gariks dodged a blast from Araske's rifle.

"You lightbearers are too gullible!" Araskes laughed. She cloaked and ran away, letting her Scorn forward.

A wave of Stalkers ran up to them, waving their clubs in the air as they approached. John shot two in the head while Rian threw a grenade. The grenade left a fiery wake, sending four Stalkers flying into the air.

A Stalker tried to hit Gariks, but he grabbed its arm and took its club. He then used the club to smash the Stalker across the face.

The rest of the Dark Ether founts left raiders behind. They charged their crossbows and fired. Joseph set up a barrier in front of him that blocked the shots from the bows.

The Guardians heard a loud roar from behind them and looked up at the building they were against. On top of the building was Levik, holding a shock sword into the air. He was shouting something that John couldn't understand.

"E har, et ne e zer de!" Levik yelled.

"What does that mean?" John asked Moira, firing into the hordes of Scorn while avoiding their shots.

"A rival, I am their end," Moira translated.

Vandals and Dregs bearing the colours of the House of Crows began to jump off the roof of the building, all carrying shock swords or daggers. They tackled and smashed into the Scorn, causing a huge brawl to break out.

A Dreg cut the head off a Stalker and stabbed another in the chest before getting shot by a Raider. The Raider was killed by a Vandal wielding a wire rifle.

Levik then jumped down from the building and turned to the Guardians.

"Come," he said in Eliksni.

He ran off down a road next to the building, and the Guardians followed him. He went through a door and found an elevator shaft. He climbed through the door to the building's next floor. The Guardians followed.

The building they were in seemed to be a parking garage. Half of it had fallen off and was crumbling, showing the clouds below. John could not see the ground from the height they were at.

"We have the chance to talk while the Scorn are distracted," Levik began, "why was this meeting set up?"

"The Scorn barons are going after each of the Crow barons," Seja explained, "we're here to protect you, and capture the barons."

"Normally I would protest to protection, but there is not much left of House Crows. We can no longer care for ourselves?."

Before anyone could continue, a Skiff showed up next to the crumbling building. Araskes appeared on the floor with three Raiders at her sides.

"Oh? What is this?" she said, "a couple of free kills to add to my record!"

She dived forward and tackled Joseph, leaving the Raiders to attack the rest of them. Levik drew a shock sword and stabbed a raider through the chest. Seja and John took the last Raiders down together.

With the help of Jack, Joseph was able to kick Araskes off him. Joseph fired a grenade launcher at her, only hitting a few of the shots.

"I think she likes you," Jack joked.

"Yeah. Real funny," Joseph said, standing up.

Araskes hissed and teleported away.

"I'm going after her," Joseph said, running towards the trail of dark Ether Araskes left behind.

"Joe wait!" Jack yelled.

"I'll go after him," Seja said, jumping up to the next floor after Joseph.

* * *

Seja climbed onto the next floor and saw Joseph beating up a Raider he had pinned to the ground.

"Where did she go?" Seja yelled to Joseph.

He flinched, startled by her presence.

"Uh, no clue," he responded.

"Over here!" they heard Araskes yell.

Araskes appeared against a wall on their floor. She threw two grenades from her hands, forcing the two Guardians to dive to the side to avoid the blasts.

Seja was going to use her Golden Gun when Joseph stopped her.

"I got this, this one's personal," he said quietly.

Araskes fired a burst from her rifle at Joseph, and he dodged them with ease. He crouched, dropped his gun, and clenched his fists.

"Oh, I've got a bone to pick with you," he said.

Seja chuckled at his choice of words. Joseph put his hands together, and a huge flaming hammer appeared in them. He slammed the hammer into the ground, causing a wave of flame to approach Araskes.

She dived to her side, but the wave of flame followed her, setting her on fire for about ten seconds. Joseph slammed the hammer two more times, but she teleported away before the flame could hit her.

"Damnit!" Joseph cursed.

"We're going to escort Levik to the factory in the middle of the island," Seja heard John's voice over comms, "with any luck we can get the Rifleman while you two go after Araskes."

"Right. Good luck then," Seja responded.

Seja took off her helmet to breathe in some fresh air and speak to Joseph.

"So, the rest of the team is escorting Levik to the big brick building," she said, "we're going to go after Araskes while they protect Levik and go after Pirrha."

Joseph stood motionless, staring at Seja's face.

"Joseph?"

He didn't respond.

"You in there?" Seja asked, tapping on his faceplate.

"Huh what?" he said.

"Were you listening to me?"

"No."

Seja sighed and repeated what she had said.

"Right," is all Joseph responded with.

Seja jumped up to the roof of the building they were on, and Joseph pulled out his Ghost to talk to Jack when she was out of earshot.

* * *

"Jack?" Joseph asked.

"Yes, what?" Jack quickly asked over the sound of shooting.

"Remember when I thought Rian was hot?"

"Yeah?"

"Seja's hotter."


	13. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

EUROPEAN AERIAL ZONE

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

"Where are they going?" Araskes asked Pirrha, who was looking through his rifle's scope.

"The factory," Pirrha said quickly.

"Of course. Shall I stop them?"

"No."

Araskes was surprised. She had a plan set up and everything, but she had to hear what Pirrha had to say.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I want to see how everything plays out," Pirrha responded.

"What do you mean?"

Pirrha pointed towards a building to their right with his lower arm. Araskes looked over and saw the small silhouettes of two Guardians running on top of buildings.

"They're coming for us. Stop them, and have our Scorn assault the factory," Pirrha said without looking away from the scope.

"My pleasure," Araskes smiled.

* * *

A blast of void energy whizzed past John and hit the brick wall next to them, burning part of the red paint away. He quickly turned around and shot a Stalker in the chest with his slug rifle. Three more Stalkers ran through the entrance to the factory and climbed the stairs.

"More Scorn coming!" John yelled up to the rest of the Guardians.

Gariks dropped from the ceiling of the building and sliced two of the Stalkers in half before stabbing the third through the chest. Gariks ran past John without making a sound.

"Why the hell aren't the barons coming after us?" Jack asked.

"Don't know. Seja and Joe haven't engaged them yet," John replied, climbing the next flight of stairs.

The group heard the sound of dark Ether founts appearing all over the factory.

"Everyone stop here," Cayde ordered, "I got this one."

Everyone stopped on the stairs behind a wall, and Cayde ran up to the corner, next to a door frame.

"Yep," he said, "here we go."

Cayde turned the corner, and John heard the sound of his hand cannon firing three times, followed by loud explosions.

"And that's how you kill dead guys!" Cayde shouted, "come up! It's clear."

Dark Ether founts formed on the ground floor of the factory as everyone stepped onto the second floor. There was a perfectly round hole in the side of the factory, indicating it was a window, but there wasn't any glass in it.

"Hold it Levik," John warned, slowly approaching the hole, "that rifleman guy can shoot us through here."

"Yeah well he-," Cayde started talking, but was cut off when a purple bolt seared through his head.

"Seja," John called.

"Yeah, what?" Seja responded.

"You mind distracting the rifleman for us? We aren't safe where we are."

"Let me get to him first. You just keep holding off the Scorn."

Cayde sat up seconds later and felt his face. The hole left from the crossbow shot had been healed.

"Okay, forget whatever I was saying," he said, standing up, "that guy is a problem."

* * *

Seja and Joseph jumped from roof to roof, approaching Pirrha's building. They couldn't see him, but they saw the purple bolts from his crossbow periodically firing.

Three Raiders teleported to the roof of the building they were on and began firing their rifles. Seja rolled to the side and fired her sidearm into the head of a Raider, blowing it up in a blaze of arc energy.

Joseph punched one in the head, sending it flying, and shot the next one with a hand cannon. Then Araskes showed up in front of them.

"Time to play some more games lightbearers!" Araskes laughed.

Joseph ran up to her and shot her with a shotgun, and she disintegrated immediately.

"Something's not right," Seja said quietly.

Araskes showed up again on the building across from them. Another Araskes showed up next to her. Another two showed up behind them.

"No, something isn't right," Joseph said, moving up next to Seja.

One of the Araskes' threw a grenade at the two, causing them to split apart. Seja shot one and it disintegrated. Joseph shot the one next to it, causing it to disintegrate as well. The two in front of them began firing. One shot hit Joseph, and he cursed.

"If they aren't real then why do they still hurt?" Joseph complained.

"I have no idea how Araskes works," Seja replied, quickly destroying them both.

Once the decoys were destroyed, Seja jumped to the next building. Joseph followed her closely.

A purple bolt of void shot past Seja's head, and she immediately ducked for the nearest cover, which was behind an air conditioner.

"Get down!" she yelled to Joseph, who took cover next to her.

Seja looked over the air conditioner and another shot from the crossbow hit the top of it, next to her head.

"I think we've got the rifleman distracted," Seja called to John as fast as she could.

* * *

"The rifleman is distracted, now's our time to move!" John shouted to their group.

The stairs below them were littered with Scorn corpses, but the way ahead was clear. They quickly moved past the whole in the wall so the rifleman couldn't hit any of them.

Cayde and Levik were in the front of the group while everyone else was behind them. A few Vandals and Dregs from the House of Crows were following them as well. Levik had the rest of the remaining Crows hiding in the buildings, waiting for the perfect moment to burst from cover and engage the Scorn.

"So, what made you choose this place to meet us?" Cayde asked Levik when the combat died down.

Levik began speaking, but nobody could understand him except for Gariks. And Cayde.

"Oh, well I guess they followed us here," Cayde replied to Levik's words.

The Guardians looked at Cayde, confused.

"What?" Cayde asked, turning around.

"Didn't know you spoke Eliksni," John commented.

"You learn something new every day."

"What did he say?" John asked, turning to Gariks.

"He said he thought no one knew about this place," Gariks translated, "didn't think the Scorn would come here."

The sound of dark Ether founts sounded from the ground floor of the factory. More Scorn were on the way. The Guardians and Eliksni sprinted through the hallways and bridges, eventually entering a large room full of boxes.

"We will definitely be safe here," Cayde said, "Levik stay towards the back of the room. We won't let them get to you."

More dark Ether founts formed all around the factory, but luckily for the Guardians the room only had one entrance. They would be able to hold out long enough for Seja and Joseph to take out the barons.

* * *

"Come on, take out your Ghost!" Pirrha yelled, "I could use the target practice!"

Pirrha didn't take his eyes off the place where the two Guardians were taking cover. He saw Araskes's holographic decoys, but he didn't know where she was.

He charged his crossbow, holding the trigger for the perfect moment when one of the Guardians revealed themselves.

Something slammed into Pirrha from behind, causing him to drop his crossbow off the building. He turned around and saw one of the Crow Vandals had climbed up his building to attack him. The Vandal went in for another hit, but Pirrha grabbed its arm, and grabbed its neck with another arm. He squeezed until the Vandal's head exploded in a shower of Ether.

He stood back up and looked down, seeing the crossbow in the grass below him. He decided to contact Araskes before going down to get it.

"Where the hell are you!?" Pirrha yelled into his communicator, "you're supposed to be taking out those Guardians."

"Don't worry," she responded, "I've got this all under control. Just keep them on that building, and everything will be fine."

The communications closed and Pirrha jumped down from the building to grab his crossbow. He picked it up and looked up to see five Crow Dregs running toward him with shock daggers.

He jumped and grabbed part of the building with three of his arms to hold himself up. He held the crossbow in his other hand and fired it as fast as he could. He gunned them down, only missing one shot.

He put the crossbow on his back and climbed the building with haste. The second he reached the top, he scoped in and charged the crossbow to fire.

"Whatever you're doing you better do it quick," Pirrha said, opening his communicator to talk to Araskes once more.

"Everything is ready," Araskes responded, "just watch."

* * *

"Can you see him?" Joseph asked.

"If I try to look my head will get blown off," Seja said.

"Right."

They were supposed to be taking down the barons, but the Rifleman had them pinned.

"At least we're distracting the Rifleman from killing everyone else," Joseph said.

"Well this is certainly one way to do that," Seja responded.

"Someone is hacking our comms," Green said to Seja.

A voice sounded from her communications. It sounded like John, but something about his voice didn't sound right.

"Seja, we have the factory secured," the voice said, "come to us, we have Pirrha distracted."

"Don't respond," Seja told Green, "this is a trap."

Suddenly, the ground floor of the building they were on exploded. Seja and Joseph both shouted in surprise when the building began to fall over. Seja tried to climb back up, but she lost her grip and fell all the way down to the Earth below.

* * *

THE HOLLOWED LAIR

THE TANGLED SHORE, THE REEF

"Uldren," a distorted voice sounded behind him.

Uldren slowly turned around. He saw a figure moving in the shadows of the lair, he didn't know who it was.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Uldren said, resting his hand on his holster.

The figure stepped out of the shadows. It was his sister, Mara. Uldren let go of his holster and stood up straight.

"Oh, Mara," Uldren said, embarrassed, "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you."

"It is fine dear brother," Mara said.

"Why are you here?"

"Your pet… Fikrul. He wants Kaliks to join him and his Scorn, and I know you want him to be happy. I know a way to get Kaliks to join you."

"How?"

"The watchtower in the High Plains. Inside of there is a portal to the Dreaming City. Activate it and you will unlock my way back into the galaxy. I will be able to help you on your conquest against the Awoken. _Free me._"

The last words she had said sounded from behind him. He turned around but no one was there. When he turned back, Mara was gone. Uldren then heard the metallic banging of Fikrul approaching the room.

"Father, I bring news," Fikrul said, stepping through the large circular door.

He approached Uldren, jammed his staff into the floor, and bowed.

"How goes the hunt?" Uldren asked, betraying nothing that would let Fikrul know Mara was here.

"Yaviks has failed, Pirrha and Araskes are doing well, and Reksis is almost to his target."

"What do you mean Yaviks failed?"

"Yaviks did not kill Diskar, and was captured by the Guardians."

Uldren began thinking. He had not heard about Guardians going after the Scorn barons. Whoever they were, they had to be important.

"Do you know who these Guardians are?" Uldren asked.

"Unfortunately I do not," Fikrul announced, "however I may know one of them."

"Who?"

"The Awoken. The one they call Seja. I encountered her in the High Plains, she is dangerous."

"Have Elykris look into Awoken and Guardian records," Uldren ordered, "find out more about her, and see if you can find out who she is working with."

"Yes Father," Fikrul said.

"And Fikrul, I have a task for you as well."

"Yes?"

"Take your Scorn and attack the Vestian Outpost. Destroy it if you have to."

"By your grace, father."

He banged his staff into the floor twice and stood up. He then turned around and left.

Fikrul and his barons had their tasks. Uldren had his. He had to figure out how to activate the City's portal.

* * *

THE WILDS

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

Seja slowly opened her eyes after Green had resurrected her. She didn't know where she was. That was what Green was for.

"Green?" Seja asked.

"I'm here," he responded.

"Where are we?"

"The forests directly underneath the EAZ."

Seja stood up. Then she remembered that she was with Joseph when they fell. She had to find him.

"Any idea where Joseph landed?" Seja asked.

"Scanning…" Green started, turning into a blue ball, "here."

A gray diamond appeared on her HUD and she immediately headed towards it. She stepped past the trees and over undergrowth, and noted a break in the trees to her right. She didn't go towards it however.

After weaving through foliage for a few minutes she found a clearing with Joseph laying on his back in the centre.

"Damnit Joe," Seja cursed under her breath, "where's your Ghost?"

She searched around the clearing, but she couldn't find it. She walked back towards Joseph and dropped to her knees. She took off her helmet and put her hand on his chest.

"I didn't know you for that long," she said, looking into his lifeless eyes, "but I wish I did. You, me, John. We could've made a great fireteam. But there goes that dream."

She took her hand off his chest and reached for her helmet when out of the corner of her eye she saw his purple eyes light up.

"I'm alive you idiot," he laughed.

His voice startled her and caused her to fall back, dropping her helmet.

Saint appeared over his body and started laughing.

"I knew we'd get you," Saint said.

"Alright, I take back everything I said," Seja said as Joseph stood up.

"Aw come on!" Joseph complained, "it was getting good."

Seja lightly punched him on the arm, and he put his hands up in an 'I'm innocent' way.

"Jokes aside, we actually have to get back up there," Seja said, putting her helmet on and handing Joseph his.

"Judging by the fact that all our communications are blocked," Green started, "the Scorn wanted us to land exactly here. I can't call anyone and that includes our ships."

Seja nodded and motioned for Joseph to follow. Saint disappeared and they set out towards the break in the trees that Seja saw earlier. They walked for a few minutes and left the trees behind them. That was when they saw what caused the break in the trees.


	14. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

EUROPEAN AERIAL ZONE

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

John emptied an entire magazine gunning down the Scorn that tried to make it through the door. No matter how hard they kept trying they would never make it through.

"Haven't heard from Seja in a while," John said once the firing stopped.

"Or Joe," said Jack.

"Come on, let me at 'em," John heard Heft's voice over communications, "I can take them out easily."

"I'll bet the Rifleman knows exactly where to shoot to take you out in one shot," John replied, "maybe if we have Hegiks and Seja's team air strike them, that could work."

"Alright then, I'll tell Hegiks."

* * *

Ira and Shur were leaning back in their chairs with their feet up on the consoles.

"I wish I was a Guardian," Ira said, "they're having all the fun while we just sit here and do nothing."

The ship's communicator suddenly began to ring. Shur looked at Ira as she reached for the button.

"Do nothing huh?" Shur commented.

Ira pressed the button to answer the communicator, but the voice that came out wasn't what she was expecting. It was a deep synthetic voice and it spoke in Eliksni. It sounded like a Servitor.

"Uh… what?" Ira asked.

Another voice took over the communications. It was Gariks.

"Apologies Awoken," he said, "the Guardians need our help."

"Wow, they need our help?" Ira said sarcastically.

"Yes. Rifleman has them pinned down. No sign of Seja or Joseph."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"Air strike."

Ira thought for a few seconds, then nodded. _This could work._ She pushed the ship into gear and positioned it directly behind Rian's ship and followed. The two ships flew down to the EAZ.

* * *

Pirrha sat on the roof of his building, juggling a knife between his to right hands.

"They aren't coming out are they?" Pirrha asked Araskes, who was crouching next to him.

"Nope," she replied, "and no matter how many Scorn we throw at them we won't get through."

"You could blow up the factory."

"I'm not Kaniks. I don't have enough explosives."

"You could go into the building yourself."

Araskes looked at him with a sharp look in her eyes that says _are you really that stupid?_

"What?" Pirrha asked, sounding innocent.

"If I go in there I die," she said, "and that is their goal."

"Right. Then what are we supposed to do?"

"Leave?"

"Without killing Levik? No. We assured Fikrul we could get this done, and we will."

Dark Ether founts appeared at the entrance of the factory, releasing more Scorn into the building. The Guardians will falter at some point. Suddenly Pirrha came up with an idea. He pulled a communicator out of his pocket.

"Bring in the Abomination," Pirrha said.

"That won't fit in there," Araskes responded.

"It will soon," Pirrha replied, looking into the distance and seeing two ships flying towards the island, "hide somewhere, don't let those ships see you."

"Right."

Araskes cloaked and ran towards the back of the building as Pirrha leaped off the edge of the building's roof. He ran to the most open area on the island and stared intently at the ships.

The ships circled around the island until they were directly facing Pirrha, and the factory. Pirrha waved at the ships as they closed in.

"You sure you don't want a hologram for this?" Araskes asked.

"Don't worry, I got this," Pirrha responded.

The two ships fired multiple salvos of missiles at Pirrha. Before the missiles could hit him he rolled to the side and dashed to the building he was on before. His entire plan was based on the missiles not being able to track him, and they didn't.

The missiles impacted the walls inside the factory, tearing them down and clearing a way towards the Guardian's safe room. Then another dark Ether fount formed in front of the factory.

* * *

THE WILDS

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

In front of Seja and Joseph was a massive hole in the Earth, deeper than any other hole on the planet. There were broken pipes, wires, and a pool of water on the bottom. The trees on the other side of the hole were barely visible.

"God damn," Joseph said under his breath.

"That's cool and all," Seja said, "but I don't think we should go this way."

"Yeah, I have to resist the temptation to jump all the way down there. I don't think I can resist for much longer."

"Then let's go."

Seja took Joseph's arm and attempted to pull him away from the edge, but he was too heavy.

"Come on Joe," she said.

"Okay fine," he sighed.

They walked back into the trees and walked in the opposite direction of the hole.

"So you meant everything you said to me?" Joseph asked Seja, breaking the silence after a few minutes of walking.

"As much as I want to deny it because I'm mad at you," she said, "yes. You remind me a lot of Heft."

"Is that the only reason?"

"For now. But if we spend more time together then I'm sure there will be more reasons."

"Sounds like fun."

They continued walking through the forest, leaving the giant pit behind. They had to find what was jamming their communications.

"Green, scan the area," Seja said.

Green appeared next to her and turned into a blue ball. A pulse shot out from his shell that only Seja could see. It was a line of light that traveled across the forest floor and wrapped around the trees. Then a gray diamond appeared on Seja's HUD, showing where the jamming device was located.

"Found it," he said before disappearing.

"There," Seja said to Joseph, pointing towards the diamond.

"Looks like we have to keep walking," Joseph replied.

* * *

EUROPEAN AERIAL ZONE

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

"What the hell?" Rian exclaimed when all of the walls in front of their room exploded and crumbled into debris.

"Not going to lie," said Cayde, "I don't think that air strike worked."

A large fount of dark Ether appeared on the ground in front of the factory. Whatever it was going to release had a straight shot to the Guardians.

All of the Guardians stood in a straight line in front of Levik, all with their weapons raised at the growing fount of dark Ether.

The fount soon dissipated and a giant hulking mass of flesh stood in its place.

"Well, that ain't pretty," said Cayde.

"Take it down Guardians," John ordered, "protect Levik at all costs."

The Guardians all fired their weapons repeatedly at the same time, not missing a shot. But none of the shots seemed to faze the Abomination. It reached its left hand forward and arc energy formed all around its arm. It then fired a large bolt of arc energy, hitting John straight in the chest and sending the Guardians next to him flying into the walls.

John stood up just to get hit with another bolt of arc.

"Alright ugly," Rian shouted, "that's enough of you!"

Rian slung her fusion rifle on her back and jumped into the air. She reached out her hand and fire enveloped her. She smashed down to the ground with a fiery blaze and John saw she had a sword in her hand.

Rian swung the sword and a line of fire shot out of it, hitting the Abomination across its back. She continued swinging the sword, leading the Abomination away from the factory. Jack came to help John up, and the rest of the Guardians went to his side.

Once it looked like the Abomination couldn't take much more, Rian jumped above it and smashed the sword into its back, causing it to disintegrate. The sword disappeared and Rian stood looking back at John.

Suddenly, seven dark Ether founts formed around Rian.

"Don't worry guys," John said to the Guardians by him, "I got this one."

John ran forward as the founts disappeared. He stopped in his place and reached his hands out to his sides. Void energy formed in his palms and surrounded him, emitting a loud _crack _sound.

John teleported forward into a group of Stalkers and sent a pulse of void energy out of his body, disintegrating all of the Scorn around him. He did the same to the next group, and the next group, and the next.

He saw that all of the Scorn were focused on him, giving Rian a chance to run back to the factory. But she didn't run. She was watching John destroy the Scorn surrounding her. He couldn't see her face through her helmet, but he knew she was proud. Proud to see him protect her. Proud to see him destroy all who would bring harm to her.

The void energy surrounding him and giving him his powers went away once the last group of Scorn were dead. John ran up to Rian and pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks," Rian whispered.

"It's no problem," John whispered back, "and it won't ever be a problem."

When they let go of each other they looked up in the sky. The sun was setting. They have been battling the Scorn on that island all day.

* * *

"We're never going to beat them," Araskes said to Pirrha.

"I'm not one to admit defeat," Pirrha replied, "but I don't think we can keep this up much longer."

They had lost hundreds of Scorn, and even an Abomination. They had to get out of there before they were lost too.

"Fikrul isn't going to be happy," said Pirrha.

"Huh," Araskes said.

"What?"

"Fikrul… that gives me an idea!"

Araskes ran off before Pirrha could protest. He's had enough of this battle.

Pirrha cloaked himself and walked back to the edge of his building. He saw the Guardians grouping up in front of the factory, but there was no sign of Levik. _He must still be in the factory. What is Araskes planning?_

A large dark Ether fount formed behind the group of Guardians and a staff appeared from it. He scanned the staff and saw it was one of Araskes's decoys. _Fikrul huh?_

Another dark Ether fount appeared next to the staff.

* * *

"And we're still not done," John said, looking at the staff.

Another dark Ether fount formed next to the staff, and Fikrul stepped out onto the field.

"Keyhead himself," Cayde said, spinning his hand cannon in his hand.

Fikrul stepped forward and Cayde shot him with his hand cannon, and Fikrul dissolved immediately.

"Was that supposed to happen?" Cayde asked.

"Definitely not," John replied as another dark Ether found formed.

Araskes appeared in the middle of the island. She held purple glowing balls in each of her hands, and the balls weren't grenades.

She hurled each of the balls one by one at the Guardians, and they all turned into decoys of Fikrul.

John shot one of the decoys in the chest, Rian shot another one, and Cayde punched one. The fourth smashed its staff into the ground, sending lighting toward Jack and shocking his body. John shot it.

"Why the hell did I feel that if they're just holograms?" Jack shouted.

"I don't-" John's voice cut off when he was shot through the head with a bolt of void energy.

Jack looked towards where the bolt came from and shot in the direction with an auto rifle. Twelve decoys of the Rifleman suddenly formed, all lined up on the building.

John stood up after being revived by Moira and looked up at all the decoys. Then, the Rifleman himself stepped up between the holograms and held his crossbow in the air.

"If anyone moves we will shoot!" the Rifleman shouted down to them, "they may be decoys, but their aim is still as good as my own!"

"What do you want?" John shouted back.

"You know what we want. Who we want."

"We're not giving you Levik."

All of the decoys aimed their crossbows at each Guardian, and the Rifleman aimed at John.

"You will give us Levik," the Rifleman ordered, "or we will gun you all down. Once you're dead we will wait for your Ghosts come and try to revive you, and then kill them. Unless you give us Levik, you will not leave this island alive."

John noticed a dark speck in the clouds behind the Rifleman and his decoys. Two dark specks. He squinted and saw that it was Rian and Seja's ships. John stood up straight and dropped his gun, and took off his helmet.

"What are you doing?" Rian whispered.

"Just trust me," John winked.

"Aw hell."

John looked up at the Rifleman and his decoys.

"You want Levik? Fine," he said, "I'll bring him out."

* * *

Pirrha didn't trust the lightbearer. He has been with Araskes long enough to he was being tricked. He noticed that the Guardians in the centre were looking past him, and then he heard the sound of engines.

"Shoot!" Pirrha yelled as the building he was on exploded.

A missile hit Pirrha in the back and he fell off the crumbling building. Araskes teleported to his side and began to help him up, but a bolt of arc energy hit her in the face. Pirrha looked toward the factory and saw a Vandal carrying a wire rifle.

Pirrha helped himself up, but one of the lightbearers hit him with a rocket launcher and he fell backward again. Araskes jumped and tackled the lightbearer holding the rocket launcher and stabbed him through the chest with a shock sword.

Another lightbearer, an Exo with a blue face and a hood, ran up help him but Araskes slashed him across the face with her sword.

Pirrha slowly sat up and saw the Eliksni with the wire rifle drop it, draw two shock swords, and run towards Araskes. He jumped up and swung towards Araskes but she blocked the hits with her own swords. The clash sprayed electricity out of the blades.

Araskes swung next, going for his neck, but he blocked it with one sword and swung at he arm with the other. Araskes pulled away, but the Vandal got a small cut in. Araskes backed away in a defensive stance, ready for the Vandal's next move, unfazed by the wound she received.

The Vandal jumped up and slammed down with both of his swords, and Araskes blocked with hers. The Vandal swung to the right, but Araskes blocked the blow with another swing. The Vandal backed away.

The Vandal ran forward, and Araskes swung towards him. He ducked under the swords and stabbed one into Araskes's stomach. Araskes yelped and drew backwards, leaving the sword in her stomach, and the Vandal with only one.

She pulled the sword out with one of her lower arms and lunged towards the Vandal. The Vandal rolled to the side and smacked one of her swords away with his. He then cut off her lower arm and picked his sword back up. Araskes hissed at him and backed towards Pirrha.

"We need to leave," she said, her voice full of pain, "this was not supposed to go this badly."

"I can barely move," Pirrha struggled to speak.

He saw the Vandal spinning the swords in his hands, taunting Araskes. The Guardians were watching instead of helping the whole time.

"Are you already done?" the Vandal shouted, "I was just having fun."

Araskes dropped her shock swords and fell to the ground.

* * *

"Holy hell Gariks," John said, walking up to him, "that was amazing!"

"I practiced back with Dusk before I was made a Dreg," Gariks said, sheathing his swords and backing away from the defeated Scorn barons.

Jack and Cayde were revived by their Ghosts and they approached with Rian.

"Calling Petra for a pickup," Cayde said, "also, I've seen a lot of things in my life, but a Fallen sword duel? I wish everyone got to see one of those."

Seja's ship flew over and Ira and Shur transmatted onto the ground. They approached the Guardians.

"You guys know where Seja is?" Shur asked.

"No," John responded.

"I haven't seen Joe either," Jack added.

Gariks turned around and pointed to a building that had no roof left.

"They were there," he said, "Scorn destroyed roof, causing them to fall."

"Then they must still be alive," John replied, walking to the edge of the island and looking down.

"Quite a drop," Jack said, following him.

"Looks like we've gotta go down there."


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

VESTIAN OUTPOST

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

Petra had just read a report sent to her from Cayde-6 about the defeat of two more Scorn barons. _Two at a time. Not bad at all._

She was impressed with their progress, but she had also noticed that none of the other barons had made their moves yet.

She walked to the main hangar where her post was and met with three Awoken pilots.

"Pilots," she addressed them, "the Guardians going after the Scorn barons have made another successful hit. Go to these coordinates on Earth to pick them up."

She handed them a tablet and they nodded before running off to their ships. Petra walked back to her post and noticed Variks coming towards her. _I never get a rest._

"Yes Variks?" she asked when he was in earshot.

"I feel… not right," he said, "something with my Ether."

"Your Ether?"

"Yes yes. It is becoming heavy and hard to breathe."

A dark look suddenly covered his eyes.

"They are coming," he said.

"Who?" Petra asked, worried, "who's coming?"

Suddenly they heard a noise and Variks turned around. In front of the door that lead out of the hangar formed a dark Ether fount.

"The Scorn," Variks replied.

The fount released four Raiders and three Stalkers. More founts appeared around the hangar and released more Stalkers and Raiders.

"Get to your hut," Petra ordered Variks, "I'll cover you!"

Corsairs around the hangar began to engage the Scorn. Petra's hearing was soon filled with the sound of Scorn pistols and Awoken rifles.

Petra walked down the steps and Variks got behind her. She fired her sidearm into the head of a Stalker and his body exploded into arc energy. Three more Stalkers ran across the bridge to Variks's hut, all carrying clubs. Petra shot one in the head and the ensuing explosion killed all of them.

A Stalker ran up behind her, and Variks stabbed it right through the chest with his staff.

"Thanks," she said.

"We must keep moving," he replied.

"Right."

Stalkers continuously ran across the bridge and two Corsairs ran up to cover Petra and Variks. Petra and the Corsairs fired into the groups of Scorn that were running at them, mowing them all down.

A larger dark Ether fount began to form where the first fount originally was and a staff appeared. Variks stared towards the staff and Petra could see a mix of emotions in his eyes, none of them good.

"What is it?" she asked.

"That staff," he replied, "it belongs to Fikrul."

"The Scorn's leader?"

"Yes."

Variks and the Awoken came up to his hut and they rushed him inside. Petra pulled a communicator from her belt and tried to contact Seja, but it was no use.

"Damnit," she cursed, "where's a Guardian when you need one?"

She patched the communicator to the outpost's intercom.

"We need as many combat ready personnel into the main hangar bay immediately!" she shouted into the communicator, "we are under attack by Scorn forces and need immediate assistance!"

Another dark Ether fount formed by the staff and it released a massive Scorn. He was covered in chains, spikes, and had cloth around his neck. His helmet was yellow and it resembled the shape of a key. _Fikrul._

Fikrul reached up and grabbed the staff. A squad of Corsairs approached him. Petra was too far away to warn them. Fikrul smashed the staff into the floor and it formed a ring of burning arc energy that caught the Corsairs. The arc energy slowed them and burned their bodies and armour.

More Corsairs showed up to the hangar, but Fikrul was standing in front of the door. Petra quickly pulled her communicator back from her belt.

"All hands, abandon the outpost," she said, "I repeat, abandon the outpost! Do not come to the main hangar, it's too dangerous!"

She pulled the cloth on Variks's door away and looked at him.

"We're leaving," she said.

Variks nodded and pressed a key on the console in his hut. A Skiff appeared right next to Petra and the Corsairs. Petra helped Variks and made sure the Corsairs made it in first.

"Variks," Petra heard a loud voice from across the hangar. She looked over and saw Fikrul looking directly at them while he crushed a Corsairs head under his foot. Petra couldn't look any longer.

Fikrul began to walk towards them, pounding his staff into the floor with each step.

"Get inside the Skiff now!" Petra yelled at Variks.

Variks nodded and teleported into the Skiff. Petra teleported in next, and they left the hangar.

* * *

Fikrul watched them go. It was only four of them, but he wasn't happy about Variks getting away.

The main hangar was clear, and Fikrul ordered his Scorn to ravage the rest of the outpost. He walked towards Variks's hut, his weight bending the metal of the platforms below him.

He pulled the cloth off the door and crouched to see inside. Variks had a console, old Eliksni artifacts, and an assortment of Eliksni weaponry.

"You," he said to the nearest Raider.

The Raider stopped in its tracks and looked up at Fikrul.

"Search the console inside of this hut," he ordered, "and bring me everything you find."

The Raider nodded and walked into the hut. Fikrul turned away as the Raider accessed the console and stared out into the purple sky of the Reef. He didn't know why Uldren had ordered him to attack his own people, but Fikrul didn't dare question Uldren out loud. Plus he had been looking forward to fight Variks, but he had escaped.

An explosion caused him to turn around but he realized that the explosion came from deeper in the outpost. The Scorn were destroying the outpost. Fikrul walked back to the hut and crouched down to look inside.

"Is it done?" he asked the Raider at the console.

The Raider nodded and turned away from it. He held a sphere of data in his hand and presented it to Fikrul. Fikrul took it and called out to his Scorn.

"We have done all we needed," Fikrul said, "destroy this place and leave it behind. We meet back at the Hollowed Lair."

Fikrul crouched and dark Ether surrounded him. A second later he was gone.

* * *

THE WILDS

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

Two Dregs and a Vandal clad in black and gold armour were patrolling a clearing around a small jamming tower. Their bodies were covered in armour unlike the Eliksni of the House of Dusk, who wore barely any armour.

_The House of Hunters. _Seja thought while looking through the trees.

"Can we kill them now?" Joseph whispered.

"Fine," Seja whispered back, "but don't run in guns blazing."

"What if I run in fists punching?"

"What if you don't."

"Okay fine."

Seja walked around the tree line to see if there were any more Eliksni that she didn't see. Once she made sure it was clear she turned to Joseph.

"Take down that Vandal, I'll get the Dregs," she whispered.

Joseph nodded and raised a suppressed sidearm. Seja slid two knives in between her fingers and held them there until Joseph fired.

Joseph hit the Vandal without a sound and Seja threw the knifes at the two Dregs, killing them before they even realized the Vandal was dead. The two Guardians stood up from their cover and walked up to the jamming tower.

"What the hell kind of Fallen are these?" Joseph asked, "I've never seen them before. And they look fancy."

Seja turned around to see him inspecting the Vandal. Its armour was black and had gold outlines on the shoulder plates, helmet, and chest plate. Unlike the House of Dusk, they didn't have any rags on them.

"They're the House of Hunters," Seja replied.

"Never heard of any 'House of Hunters,'" Joseph said, turning away from the Vandal.

"No one does. No one but me John and Heft. I haven't fought them since the city was attacked, if they're out here now then something isn't right."

"So now we have to worry about them and the Scorn?"

"We can worry about them once we're done taking care of the Scorn. One thing at a time."

Seja deployed Green to disable the jamming tower.

"Really?" Joseph asked, "disabling? Not even going to blow it up?"

"If we blow it up then we'll be getting a lot of unwanted attention," Seja replied.

"You're no fun."

Green finished zapping at the buttons on the tower and floated back to Seja.

"Just got the tower down and I'm already getting an incoming call," said Green.

"From who?" asked Seja.

"Petra Venj."

"Play it."

What Seja heard was almost completely static. If Petra was saying anything then Seja couldn't understand it. The signal cleared up for a few seconds and the only words she heard were 'Help' and 'Outpost'. It sounded like she was in pain. Then the connection closed.

"Contact Ira and Shur," Seja hastily said, "we need to get to the Reef immediately."

* * *

VESTIAN OUTPOST

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

Petra looked at the burning remains of the Vestian Outpost through the view screen on the Skiff. She lived in that place for as long as she could remember. But she didn't mourn the destruction of her home, she mourned the lives that the Scorn took during the fight.

Her first instinct was to hug someone, and that was Variks. She only thought of him as a friend, but she needed comfort. A tear rolled down her cheek and into the fur around Variks's neck.

"Petra," he said quietly, "there was nothing you could have done. No one expected the attack. I knew Fikrul and I didn't know he was coming."

"I know I couldn't have done anything," Petra said in between sobs, "and that's the worst part."

Petra pulled away from Variks wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She took the communicator off her belt and tried to call Seja again. The communicator showed that it successfully connected to Seja

"Seja, we need your help," Petra said, not able to keep her emotions back, "the Scorn attacked the Vestian Outpost. We lost almost everything."

Seja wasn't responding.

"Seja?" Petra pleaded.

The communicator failed and she threw it on the floor. She looked up at Variks, his eyes were emotionless.

"Where are we going?" the pilot, Orska, asked; breaking the few minutes of silence.

"The only place we can go," Variks replied, "the Prison of Elders."

* * *

THE WILDS

EUROPEAN DEAD ZONE, EARTH

Seja and Joseph exited the forest, leaving the hundreds of trees behind them and stepping out into the open plains. Seja and Rian's ships both flew in at the same time.

"Am I coming with you?" Joseph asked.

"No," Seja replied, "this is Awoken business."

"Right, see you some other time then."

"See 'ya."

Seja transmatted into her ship and saw Ira and Shur both standing there waiting for her.

"Where did you go?" Ira asked.

"Joe and I were on a building," Seja explained, "one of the Scorn blew it up and caused us to fall all the way down to the ground."

Seja pushed past the two Corsairs and rushed to the ship's pilot controls.

"What's going on?" Shur asked as Seja sat down.

"Petra is in trouble," Seja replied.

The ship lifted up from the floor of the EDZ and shot away into space, leaving the other Guardians behind without an explanation.

"What do you mean she's in trouble?" Shur asked.

"I got a call from Petra," Seja explained, "it was all static except for two words. 'Help' and 'Outpost'."

"Gues we're going back to the Outpost then."

The ship flew out of the Earth's atmosphere and jumped to the Reef.

* * *

Joseph raised his fist and Jack bumped it with his, then the two turned around and high-fived backwards.

"She's into me," Joseph said when he turned back.

"No way," Jack said, immediately knowing who Joseph was talking about.

"Yes way."

The two walked to Rian, John, Cayde, and Gariks. Joseph was happier than he normally was.

"You totally missed it Joe," Cayde said when he approached.

"Missed what?" Joseph asked.

"Gariks and the Trickster! They had a full blown duel!"

"Damnit, why do I always miss the cool stuff."

The group heard the sound of approaching engines and looked up to see an Awoken ship approaching them. Rian's Ghost transmatted Pirrha and Araskes onto the ground and two Corsairs transmatted from their ship.

"Here for the pickup I see," Cayde said, putting his hands on his hips.

"Yep," one of the Awoken replied, "you guys are making good progress out here. Keep it up."

One of the Corsairs jammed a beacon into the ground next to Pirrha and Araskes. The other Corsair was writing something down on a tablet.

Joseph looked closely at the two Scorn barons. Pirrha was covered in dust and small bits of rock, whenever he moved his whole body shook. Araskes was missing one of her arms and had a stab wound in her chest from a shock sword. They hadn't said a word since they were defeated. He wondered what they were thinking.

Joseph was glad that Araskes was stabbed, though he had hoped he would be the one to stab her.

The two barons disappeared and the Corsairs went back into their ship.

"There's still five more barons out there," John said, "they haven't made any moves yet so I think we scared them."

"We can't just let them roam around the system though," Cayde said.

"We won't. If any of them make a move we will be the first ones on them."

Cayde nodded and went to his ship, and Joseph and Jack went with Rian's crew.

* * *

THE REEF

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

Seja's ship arrived in the Reef, and she slowed the ship down to stop from crashing into debris. She directed the ship to where the Vestian Outpost was located.

"Not seeing anything unusual," said Shur, who was on the scanner.

"I am," said Seja, squinting her eyes while looking out the view screen.

"What?"

"The Outpost. It isn't there."

Shur got up from her seat and stood behind Seja. There was nothing there but debris. Debris from the Outpost. She quickly went back to her scanner.

"No life signs detected," she said, "everyone there is dead."

"No, they can't be dead," Seja said, not wanting to believe so many Awoken, including Petra, had died.

She opened a comm channel.

"This is Sedra Voj, Guardian of the Awoken," Seja said, using her name before she died, "if there are any survivors from the Outpost please respond."

There was no response.

"If anyone survived they probably wouldn't hang out here," Shur said.

"Maybe they went to the Tangled Shore," said Ira, "or the Prison of Elders."

"That would make sense," Seja replied, "let's try the Prison first."

Seja turned the ship in the direction of the Prison of Elders and set the ship to full speed.

* * *

PRISON OF ELDERS

THE REEF, ASTEROID BELT

The troop bay of the Skiff opened and Petra jumped out onto the platforms connected to the prison. Variks and the two Corsairs followed.

The Skiff disappeared and the group walked to the entrance of the prison. Almost all of the Awoken in the system were stationed on the Vestian Outpost, and Petra didn't know how many even survived. She wondered where Seja was and why she hadn't responded.

"There are many places here where people may rest," Variks said, "I will bring the Awoken to those places."

"Thank you Variks," Petra said, her voice still edged with grief.

As Petra began to walk up the stairs she heard the sound of an approaching ship. _More survivors!_

She turned around and sprinted to an open landing pad, waving for the ship to drop off its crew.

Seja, Shur, and Ira transmatted onto the platform, and Seja ran up to her.

"We came as fast as we could," Seja explained, "the message we got from you was filled with static."

Petra didn't say anything, but she leaned towards Seja and wrapped her arms around her.

"Petra?" Seja asked.

Petra lay her head on Seja's shoulder.

"Almost all of the Awoken in the system were in the outpost," Petra said, her voice muffled, "I have no idea how many survived."

Seja put her arms around Petra and patted her on the back.

"We'll find more survivors," Seja said, reassuring Petra, "I promise."

* * *

TOWER HANGAR

THE LAST CITY, EARTH

"With three barons captured, and the rest on the run," Cayde said while he was heading back to his post in the hangar, "I'd say we're off to a good start."

John and Rian were following him. In the corner of Cayde's post was an Exo that looked almost exactly like him. When he saw Cayde approaching he quickly put a helmet on.

"Thanks for covering Ryak," Cayde said to the Exo, "much appreciated."

"No problem my man," said the Exo as he walked away.

"Ryak?" Rian asked.

"You see how much that guy looked like me?" Cayde asked, "it's insane!"

"Sounded like you too," John added.

Cayde walked up to a wall and leaned on it, crossing his arms.

"We've had a hell of an adventure," Cayde said to the two Warlocks.

"It isn't over yet," John said, "don't forget about the five remaining barons."

"They'll make a move eventually. We'll get 'em."

John and Rian said their goodbyes to Cayde before running off to a room in the tower where they would spend the night together alone.


	16. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

CAMPUS 9

ISHTAR SINK, VENUS

A group of three Dregs, to Vandals, and a Captain searched the remains of the buildings at Campus 9, looking for anything the House of Winter hadn't already looted.

"Get that door open," the Captain ordered his Dregs while pointing at the door to a locked building.

The Captain heard a strange noise behind him and turned around. Nothing was there. Then he heard a screech from a Vandal and turned to it. The Vandal was floating in the air with a hole in his chest. A wave of white energy suddenly revealed a Vex, unlike anything the Captain had seen.

The Vex was about the same size as the Captain. Its head had fins on it like the wings of a Harpy, its eye was a green diamond rather than a red circle. Its body didn't seem modular like most Vex, its limbs almost looked like that of a Human.

The Vex made an electronic squealing noise, dropped the Vandal and teleported in the direction of the Endless Steps.

"I need a transport with Vandals now," the Captain called into his communicator.

The Skiff teleported over the complex with a loud boom, and the Captain went inside. He took over the piloting controls and flew the Skiff to the Endless Steps. The Skiff dropped him in front of the massive circular Vex gate. Four Vandals dropped next to him.

The Vex gate activated when the Skiff flew away, turning from a brown metal to pure white energy. A massive Minotaur with a black body and red shoulders stepped out from the gate. Its head was trapezoidal in shape rather than the normal round design.

Other Vex followed it from the gate. Rather than the silver Vex of the Sol Collective, these Vex had brass bodies. Some of them had white stripes on their heads and arms.

The Minotaur fired a single shot from its Torch Hammer before any of the Eliksni could shoot it, and the shot disintegrated their bodies.

* * *

_[DIRECTIVE OF SOCALES: PROTECT GATE TO HEZEN. ALLOW HEZEN ACCESS TO PLANETOID CONVERSION. MACHINE CONVERSION WILL BE COMPLETED IN EXACTLY TWO SOLAR YEARS.]_


End file.
